My role, as Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage, is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, as are the role of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners as regards heritage assets.
Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including relevant structures on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Inclusion on the RPS places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future.
Section 53(1) of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, enables me, as Minister, to make recommendations to a planning authority concerning the inclusion of specific structures in its RPS. These recommendations are based on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) surveys conducted by my Department. The aim of the NIAH survey is generally to include structures which are of international, national and regional importance.
As already outlined, inclusion in an RPS is a devolved process and a reserved function of the local authority.
However, my Department has published a series of documents to guide local authorities in that function, such as the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2004), which were reissued in 2011. My Department has also published a series of advice documents, which are available on its website at www.ahg.gov.ie.
Finally, my Department often receives information relating to existing or potential risks to protected structures from local authorities, the Heritage Council, heritage-based NGOs and members of the public. Where applicable, my Department will make the necessary enquiries in relation to same.
