Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 November 2018
243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which her Department remains actively engaged in historical site and building restoration works at various sites; the extent to which she can play an expanded role in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47629/18]
View answer244. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of historical and-or heritage buildings under review with the objective of restoration with particular reference to the need to promote local items of historical interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47630/18]
View answer247. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the maximisation of interest in historical sites and buildings with a view to the promotion of local and historical interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47633/18]
View answer248. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of derelict or semi-derelict and-or abandoned castles and houses of historical interest with a view to possible restoration or use as museums or community centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47634/18]
View answer249. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she can offer grant assistance towards historical buildings that may benefit from basic restoration works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47635/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 243, 244 and 247 to 249, inclusive, together.
My functions as Minister with regard to the protection of our architectural heritage are set out in the Planning and Development Acts, as are the responsibilities of local authorities and owners.
The Planning and Development Acts give primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect our architectural heritage by including structures on the relevant local authority’s 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.
The decision as to whether a building is placed on, or removed from the Record of Protected Structures is a reserved function of the relevant local authority. My Department does not keep a record of derelict or semi-derelict sites across the country, nor does it keep heritage sites under review generally, except where these sites are national monuments in State care or otherwise part of the historic national heritage estate which is managed by the Office of Public Works.
As Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, I am the owner or guardian of almost 1,000 national monuments in State care right across the country, ranging from prehistoric burial monuments to medieval fortifications and religious sites. Sites in my ownership or guardianship are maintained by the Office of Public Works. Conservation matters in relation to these sites are managed through regular liaison between the OPW and my Department, identifying condition issues and proposing appropriate conservation actions, carried out under consent where relevant.
My Department is providing €350,000 of funding to the OPW in 2018 to assist in the conservation and presentation of historic buildings and national monuments in State ownership. My Department’s National Monuments Service works in close collaboration with the OPW on survey, archaeological excavation and research work to optimise the protection, management, interpretation and presentation of national monuments in State care.
Financial support for owners and occupiers of historic buildings is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes. €2m has been provided for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2018 and 370 projects have been approved for funding. €1,324,000 has been provided for the Structures at Risk Fund 2018 and 76 projects across the country have been approved for funding.
The Structures at Risk Fund will be revamped for 2019 and will become the Historic Structures Fund. The Fund will open for applications shortly, as will the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for 2019.
Details of the projects approved under both funding schemes are published on my Department’s website and on local authority websites. Projects approved include a wide variety of types of structures with many different uses, both private and public.
The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports. Grant schemes are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie.
In terms of future funding, Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018 – 2027 represents a major capital investment scheme of €1.2 billion in funding over the next 10 years, as part of Project Ireland 2040. This plan will see increased investment in protecting and celebrating our heritage across the country. More details on the commencement and completion dates for projects and programmes, as well as the timing of the expenditure in relation to them, will emerge as we go through the process of appraisal and planning as required under the Public Spending Code.
The public consultation for Heritage Ireland 2030, which I launched on 1 November and which is open until the end of February 2019, gives everyone the opportunity to have their say on the future of our heritage and to help identify the priorities for €285 million identified in Project Ireland 2040 for investment in our built and natural heritage.
There are four ways that people can engage with this consultation and have their say: by logging on to my Department’s website and completing the short survey at www.chg.gov.ie/heritage/heritageireland2030; by email to heritageireland2030@chg.gov.ie; by participating in local events and workshops that will be rolled out over the coming weeks; or by post to Heritage Ireland 2030, The Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6XO.
