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Heritage Promotion

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020

Thursday, 3 December 2020

Questions (213, 214)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

213. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the heritage grants for restoration projects across the State which have been agreed in 2020; the details of the projects; and the grant amount in each case. [40956/20]

View answer

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

214. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current heritage historic building restoration projects which local authorities have submitted to his Department seeking funding for; the stage of assessment of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40957/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together.

My Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). This year I also introduced the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) for conservation and other works at our national monuments.

The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures. It is designed to leverage private capital for investment in small scale conservation projects across the country and to support the employment of skilled conservation professionals. The HSF is for conservation and enhancement to heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public.

This year 450 heritage projects across every county in the country have benefited from a combined sum of over €4.3m under BHIS and HSF. An extra €1m in funding was secured for built heritage projects under the July Jobs Stimulus Package 2020, which aims to offset some of the effects of Covid-19. This funding supplements 28 BHIS and HSF projects and supported 12 new ones, in addition to capital works by the Heritage Council and the Irish Heritage Trust.

I recently launched the BHIS and HSF for 2021, with a combined allocation of €6m, an increase of nearly 40%. Full details are available on my Department’s website and on the website of each local authority and the deadline for applications is 29 January 2021.

A further €1 million in funding was approved nationally for the Historic Towns Initiative 2020, which is a joint initiative of my Department and the Heritage Council. The Historic Towns Initiative is a dedicated programme for the heritage-led regeneration of historic towns. In total €1.3m has been awarded in 2020 for heritage led regeneration in the following towns. This includes €300k allocated under the July Jobs Stimulus scheme.

- Tralee, Co. Kerry

- Ramelton, Co. Donegal

- Ballina, Co. Mayo

- Roscommon, Co. Roscommon

- Sligo, Co. Sligo

- Clones, Co. Monaghan

- Callan, Co. Kilkenny

Details of the Historic Towns Initiative 2021 will be announced shortly.

The Heritage Council also has a role in allocating funding to heritage sites across the country through its own grant schemes. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how this funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports annually, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources. Grant schemes for 2020 are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie.

My Department also announced a call for projects in September under a new fund, the Community Monuments Fund (CMF) for investment in our archaeological heritage, which is being funded under a special provision of €1.4 million under the July Jobs Stimulus Package. The CMF is prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians, and community groups for the care, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites and the provision of any required measures to ensure safe access during the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 69 CMF projects nationally are being supported this year. I hope shortly to announce a continuance of the scheme for 2021.

Details of all projects approved for funding under the schemes outlined above can be found in the appended tables.

Projects approved for funding

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