Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:395. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if Vernon Mount House is on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. [39672/16]
View answerTuesday, 13 December 2016
Questions (395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:396. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her responsibilities and duties regarding buildings or structures that are on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. [39673/16]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:397. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she received correspondence from an organisation (details supplied) regarding the situation in Vernon Mount House in June 2016 and the concerns that existed regarding its safety and security; and the action her Department took on foot of that. [39674/16]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:398. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the Government or her Department must approve any alterations, renovations, removals or demolitions pertaining to structures on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. [39675/16]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:399. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions her Department has taken, or intends to take, to secure Vernon Mount House following the fire there earlier in 2016. [39676/16]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:400. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if she will secure the future of Vernon Mount House and take action to ensure no further damage happens there. [39677/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 to 400, inclusive together.
My role, as Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, 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. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures 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.
As Minister, I draw on information provided by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, maintained by my Department, to recommend structures for inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures. However, the final decision in regard to inclusion is a reserved function of the planning authority.
Under section 54 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, a planning authority may add to or delete from its Record of Protected Structures a structure, a specified part of a structure or a specified feature of the attendant grounds of a structure. Such a structure, specified part of a structure, or specified feature remains on the Record of Protected Structures until such time as the planning authority deletes it.
There is a duty on owners and occupiers to protect structures from endangerment. Where structures become endangered or unauthorised development has been or is being carried out, the planning authority has the powers to take appropriate action.
The structure referred to by the Deputy is listed on both the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and on the Record of Protected Structures. The destruction of the house, which I understand is the subject of a Garda investigation as a criminal matter, is most regrettable.
My Department has issued guidance circulars previously on disaster management/security of derelict protected structures to local authorities and follows up as appropriate in individual circumstances. In this case, officials of my Department met with the local authority in the week following the fire to initiate discussions on all the issues arising from the loss. Correspondence was received from the organisation referred to by the Deputy in relation to the structure mentioned and a reply was issued by my Department.
I understand that the local authority has been acting with the relevant parties to seek to protect the building. In 2012 and 2014, the council carried out urgent conservation works to the roof of the house with financial assistance from my Department.
There are a number of ways in which my Department acts in respect of possible heritage sites/buildings deemed to be at risk. One of these is the receipt of applications for funding for the repair, conservation, preservation or safeguarding of protected structures, sites or monuments.
Financial support is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings. My Department itself operates a Structures at Risk Fund (SRF) to enable conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts.
In 2015, I launched a new €2 million scheme - the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) - for the repair and conservation of protected structures. The 2016 BHIS scheme has operated via the local authorities, on the same model as the very successful Built Heritage Jobs Leverage Scheme, which ran in 2014. In 2016, BHIS has supported over 270 projects across the country, creating over 17,000 days of employment in the conservation and construction industries, while helping to regenerate urban and rural areas. The scheme has also leveraged just under €5.5 million, more than double the scheme’s allocation of €2 million. Both schemes will run again in 2017.
The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage. For 2016, the Council is administering a community-based heritage grants scheme available for projects that contributed to particular heritage themes. Further details can be found at www.heritagecouncil.ie.
My Department will continue its ongoing support and engagement with local authorities as regards their functions for the protection and management of our built heritage as set out under the Planning and Development Acts, having regard to the available resources.