Wednesday, 21 Apr 2021

Written Answers Nos. 741-759

Housing Data

Questions (741, 742, 744, 745)

Thomas Gould

Question:

741. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of full-time equivalent vacant homes officers by local authority in tabular form. [19449/21]

Thomas Gould

Question:

742. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided for a vacant homes officer to each local authority in tabular form. [19450/21]

Thomas Gould

Question:

744. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether the vacant homes schemes and policies are sufficient in addressing the vacant homes issue. [19452/21]

Thomas Gould

Question:

745. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he receives regular updates on the number of homes applied for through the vacant homes scheme by local authority; and if so, if he will provide the figures. [19453/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 741, 742, 744 and 745 together.

The National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy was published by my Department in 2018, since then my Department has provided funding to each local authority of €50,000 per annum. This funding is to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office, including a Vacant Homes Officer for each local authority. All 31 local authorities have claimed their funding up to June 2021 and this funding has been secured up to June 2022.

This Strategy strives to provide a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. Table 1 below lists the number of Vacant Homes Officers in each local authority and if they are working as a Vacant Homes Officer full-time with only that responsibility, or if the role comprises part of their duties or they are employed part-time as a Vacant Homes Officer:

Table 1

Local Authority	No. of Vacant Homes Officers	Full-time	Part-time
Carlow	1		1
Cavan	1		1
Clare	1	1
Cork City	1		1
Cork County	2		2
Donegal	1		1
Dublin City	3	1	2
Dun Laoghaire	1		1
Fingal	1		1
Galway City	1		1
Galway County	1		1
Kerry	1	1
Kildare	1		1
Kilkenny	1		1
Laois	1		1
Leitrim	1		1
Limerick	1		1
Longford	1		1
Louth	1		1
Mayo	1		1
Meath	2		2
Monaghan	2		2
Offaly	1		1
Roscommon	1		1
Sligo	2		2
South Dublin	1		1
Tipperary	1		1
Waterford	1		1
Westmeath	1		1
Wexford	1		1
Wicklow	1		1

There are a number of supporting schemes available to assist property owners to bring their vacant properties back into use for social housing – the Repair and Lease Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme or Long Term Leasing.

- The Repair and Leasing Scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental properties. The scheme provides upfront funding to carry out the works and, in return, the property owner agrees to lease the dwelling to the local authority to be used as social housing for a period up to 25 years. The maximum loan for property repair available under the Repair and Lease Scheme has been increased by my Department from €40,000 to €60,000.

- The Buy and Renew initiative allows local authorities to purchase private vacant properties for use as social housing.

- The Housing Acquisitions Fund is a €70 million revolving that was established in January 2017 with the objective of enabling the Housing Agency to acquire vacant units from banks and investment companies for social housing use. The fund is replenished by the Housing Agency through the sale of units primarily to the AHB sector and the funds received are then recycled back into the fund for future acquisitions.

Table 2 below gives a breakdown of the number of properties delivered under each of the schemes in each local authority.

Local Authority	Repair and Lease Total Properties Delivered up to Q4 2020	Buy and Renew Dwellings Deliveredup to Q4 2020	Housing Agency Acquisitions Dwellings Delivered up to Q4 2020	TOTAL
Carlow	4	32	6	34
Cavan	0	1	2	3
Clare	0	28	3	17
Cork City	2	43	5	47
Cork County	3	33	52	88
Donegal	1	1	3	5
Dublin City	2	58	81	133
Dun Laoghaire	0	13	11	12
Fingal	27	40	22	68
Galway City	0	1	13	14
Galway County	2	0	5	7
Kerry	4	42	6	28
Kildare	1	8	36	43
Kilkenny	1	7	7	14
Laois	1	21	14	33
Leitrim	0	6	2	8
Limerick	17	69	17	76
Longford	6	11	5	22
Louth	1	83	5	60
Mayo	10	4	4	16
Meath	1	51	17	47
Monaghan	6	19	-	7
Offaly	0	5	7	8
Roscommon	3	3	2	6
Sligo	0	1	3	4
South Dublin	0	0	33	33
Tipperary	1	23	36	55
Waterford	113	47	12	134
Westmeath	1	4	8	12
Wexford	27	15	9	45
Wicklow	0	1	10	10
Total	234	670	436	1340

My Department will continue to keep the Vacant Homes Schemes and the various functions of the Vacant Homes Offices under review with ongoing feedback from our Vacant Homes Officers.

Question No. 743 answered with Question No. 694.

Questions Nos. 744 and 745 answered with Question No. 741.

Housing Data

Questions (746, 747)

Thomas Gould

Question:

746. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided to each local authority for preventative maintenance in each of the years 2015 to date. [19454/21]

Thomas Gould

Question:

747. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans in relation to addressing social housing conditions given recent findings by the ECSR. [19455/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 746 and 747 together.

Management and maintenance of the circa 140,000 local authority housing stock is very important. In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.

Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities to manage and maintain their own stock, my Department does provide annual funding support to local authorities for management and maintenance under a number of funding programmes.

Under the Voids Programme, my Department has supported local authorities in refurbishing vacant social homes and returning them to productive use. This funding programme was introduced in 2014 and has to the end of 2020 returned 16,102 properties to use with funding of €229m from my Department.

In 2020, my Department rolled out the largest ever voids funding programme. With additional funding of €40m secured by me under the July Stimulus Programme. Funding of €58.3m was made available to local authorities which saw 3,607 vacant properties funded last year.

Under the Energy Efficiency Programme, my Department funds the carrying out of retrofitting works to local authority dwellings. From 2013-2020 the Programme was implemented in 2 Phases: Phase 1 Attic Insulation/Cavity Wall Insulation and Phase 2 focuses on the fabric upgrades to dwellings. Over the period 2013 to 2020 over 73,500 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €161 million under the scheme (most of which were completed under Phase 1).

The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme for 2021 is a newly revised Retrofit Programme and this is the first year of a ten year programme that sees a significant upscaling (from ‘shallow’ to ‘deep retrofit’) on what has been completed by local authorities to date. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding made available for insulation, windows & doors, with a significant increase for the upgrading of the heating system, specifically for the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works (the revised programme no longer supports the installation of boilers). A budget of €65m has been made available for Energy Efficiency retrofitting in 2021, this includes €20m for the Midlands Retrofit Programme. The programme targets 2,400 social homes for upgrade works in 2021, 750 of which relate to the Midlands Retrofit Pilot.

Under the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme, my Department funds local authorities in carrying out necessary adaptation works to local authority properties to cater for the needs of elderly and disabled tenants and families living in overcrowded conditions in local authority properties. Since 2011 my Department has provided exchequer funding of some €120m to support this programme.

Under the Regeneration Scheme, my Department funds programmes of estate regeneration in a number of targeted areas around the country. This programme focuses on the remediation and upgrade of existing local authority homes within defined areas of disadvantage and can also provide for some new homes as part of the overall regeneration plan for the area. Since 2015 over €300m of exchequer funding has been provided to support this programme.

Since 2011 my Department has provided funding of over €800m under the above stock improvement schemes.

We are committed to ensure that future improvement works are driven by strategic and targeted work programmes informed by stock condition surveys and work is continuing between officials from my Department and the local authority sector, through the City and County Management Association, to drive a planned maintenance approach to the maintenance of local authority housing stock. This will see circa 140,000 local authority social housing properties surveyed over a 4/5 year period, commencing in late 2021. These stock condition surveys will inform future work programmes, funding requirements and allocations.

My Department will continue to fund local authorities for stock improvement works but it is also important that local authorities increasingly seek to move to a planned management and maintenance approach of their housing stock.

Question No. 748 answered with Question No. 668.

Housing Policy

Questions (749)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

749. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a serious issue (details supplied) with regard to funding local authority housing will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19489/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Management and maintenance of the approximately 140,000 local authority housing stock is an important issue. In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.

Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities to manage and maintain their own stock, my Department does provide annual funding support to local authorities for management and maintenance under a number of funding programmes.

Under the Voids Programme, my Department has supported local authorities in refurbishing vacant social homes and returning them to productive use. This funding programme was introduced in 2014 and has to the end of 2020 returned 16,102 properties to use with funding of €229m from my Department. Kerry County Council has received funding of €6.9m to support the return to productive use of 633 properties under this programme.

In 2020, my Department rolled out the largest ever voids funding programme. With additional funding of €40m secured by me under the July Stimulus Programme. Funding of €58.3m was made available to local authorities which saw 3,607 vacant properties funded last year. Under the July Stimulus programme, Kerry County Council were approved for funding of €1,129,100 for the refurbishment of 61 properties.

Under the Energy Efficiency Programme, my Department funds the carrying out of retrofitting works to local authority dwellings. Over the period 2013 to 2020 over 73,500 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €161 million under the scheme (most of which were completed under Phase 1 outlined below).

From 2013-2020 the Programme was implemented in 2 Phases: Phase 1 Attic Insulation/Cavity Wall Insulation and Phase 2 focuses on the fabric upgrades to dwellings. To-date Kerry County Council has received €2,241,349 in funding under the Programme for the retrofitting of 1,673 properties, of which €582,282 relates to the period 2017 – 2020 and includes the retrofit of 517 properties.

The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme for 2021 is a newly revised Retrofit Programme and this is the first year of a ten year programme that sees a significant upscaling (from ‘shallow’ to ‘deep retrofit’) on what has been completed by local authorities to date. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial overall increase in funding made available for insulation, windows & doors, with a significant increase for the upgrading of the heating system, specifically for the installation of a Heat Pump and associated works (the revised programme no longer supports the installation of boilers).

A budget of €65m has been made available for Energy Efficiency retrofitting in 2021, this includes €20m for the Midlands Retrofit Programme. The programme targets 2,400 social homes for upgrade works in 2021, 750 of which relate to the Midlands retrofit Pilot. Allocations have just recently been issued to local authorities with Kerry County Council receiving an allocation of €1,380,511 along with a requirement to retrofit a minimum number of 51 properties.

Under the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme my Department funds local authorities in carrying out necessary adaptation works to local authority properties to cater for the needs of elderly and disabled tenants and families living in overcrowded conditions in local authority properties. Since 2011 my Department has provided funding of €3.63m to Kerry County Council under this programme.

Under the Regeneration Scheme, my Department funds programmes of estate regeneration in a number of targeted areas around the country. This programme focuses on the remediation and upgrade of existing local authority homes within defined areas of disadvantage and can also provide for some new homes as part of the overall regeneration plan for the area. Kerry County Council has the Mitchels Boherbee regeneration programme in Tralee. My Department has provided funding of some €38 million to Kerry County Council under this programme, with some projects yet to be completed.

My Department has provided funding of some €50 million to Kerry County Council under the above stock improvement schemes. However, work is also ongoing with the local authority sector, through the City and County Management Association, to drive a planned maintenance approach to the maintenance of local authority housing stock. This will see all 140,000 local authority social housing properties surveyed to determine their condition so as to inform future work programmes and ensure the available funding is spent in a strategic and focussed way.

My Department will continue to fund local authorities for stock improvement works but it is also important that local authorities increasingly seek to move to a position of increasingly planned maintenance.

Wildlife Rangers

Questions (750)

Pa Daly

Question:

750. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the vacant position of wildlife ranger in north County Kerry has never been filled; his plans to advertise the position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19518/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Staffing levels across my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

My Department has recently worked with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to create a Conservation Ranger panel from which positions across the country will be filled. The campaign was advertised by the PAS and was open for applications until 14 January 2021 and my Department is currently working to fill Conservation Ranger posts across the country from this panel.

The new appointees will be allocated to fill vacant positions where it is considered that insufficient cover exists at present. It should be noted that, where such vacancies exist, a measure of cover is already provided by way of higher management grades, particularly District Conservation Officers.

Wildlife Control

Questions (751, 762, 763, 764, 807)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

751. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if matters (details supplied) in relation to the control of wood pigeon will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19541/21]

Martin Browne

Question:

762. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department consulted with tillage farmers regarding the National Parks and Wildlife Service suggestion that open season on wood pigeons be removed. [19687/21]

Martin Browne

Question:

763. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the National Parks and Wildlife Service suggestion to end the open season on wood pigeon shooting; the studies the Service has undertaken on the issue of crop damage by wood pigeons; and the number of farmers were involved in these studies. [19688/21]

Martin Browne

Question:

764. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether wood pigeons are not a threat to tillage and horticulture crops; if a provision in legislation will be made for same as a game bird (details supplied); and if he will ensure responsible hunting will not be impeded by his Department as with other game species. [19689/21]

Joe Carey

Question:

807. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend in full the current declarations made under section 3 of the European Communities (Wildlife Act, 1976) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (SI No. 254 of 1986) allowing for the control of certain wild bird species which is due to expire on 30 April 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20457/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 751, 762, 763, 764 and 807 together.

The current declaration made under section 3 of the European Communities (Wildlife Act, 1976) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 (SI No. 254 of 1986) allowing for the control of certain wild bird species is due to expire on 30 April 2021. A decision on a new declaration covering the period 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022 will be made very shortly. My Department held a public consultation to inform this process and all views submitted will be taken into account.

The original declaration made in April last year excluded wood pigeon during the summer months on the basis of scientific advice received at the time. However on review, the declaration was amended in May last year to allow for the control of wood pigeon by lethal methods during the summer months of June, July and August. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department had planned to carry out a scientific review of the issue of pigeon damage to crops during the summer months with a view to informing decisions for the forthcoming declaration but it was not possible to progress this last year due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19.

I should point out that the Open Season for hunting is a separate legal matter to the annual wild birds declaration and that the inclusion of wood pigeon on the declaration is not to facilitate recreational hunting but rather for the prevention of damage to crops. I have no proposals to amend the Open Seasons orders.

Housing Policy

Questions (752)

Steven Matthews

Question:

752. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the referendum on the right to housing as set out in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19544/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The commitments in relation to Constitutional reform in the Programme for Government provide for the holding of a referendum on housing.

My Department has begun the initial work on scoping the complex issues involved and will in due course make recommendations on how we might progress such a referendum. I intend to consult with my colleagues in Government as to the proposal that should be put to the electorate and the appropriate timeframes that should apply to the process.

Housing Issues

Questions (753, 754, 755)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

753. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to enhance the legal remedies for homeowners who are dealing with construction defects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19556/21]

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

754. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to improve access to low-cost, long-term finance for homeowners of defective properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19557/21]

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

755. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to develop an advice service for homeowners who are affected by construction defects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19558/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 753, 754 and 755 together.

The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses".

In this regard, my Department has been actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with stakeholder representative groups on this matter.

I appointed Mr Seamus Neely, former Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, to the position of Chair to the independent working group. The Chair will oversee the effective implementation of the group’s terms of reference, which are currently being finalised.

In addition, I brought a Memorandum for the Information of the Government to Cabinet recently to note the establishment of a working group with the appropriate expertise to examine the issue of defects in housing. The membership of the working group includes representatives, with relevant expertise and experience, from Engineers Ireland, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland, the Public Sector, the Local Authority Sector, the Legal Sector, the Department of Finance, Construction Defects Alliance and Apartment Owners Network. The inaugural plenary working group meeting was held at the end of March and the working group is scheduled to meet again shortly.

In regard to the working group’s deliberations, the group will seek to engage with a range of interested parties, including homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals and industry stakeholders, among others to examine the issue of defects in housing and report to me on the matter.

National Monuments

Questions (756, 757)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

756. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made in conserving, designing, tendering and carrying out further works on the national monument on 14-17 Moore Street, Dublin 1 in order for it to be open to the public as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19593/21]

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

757. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the works approved recently under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund for the Moore Street area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19594/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 756 and 757 together.

The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The URDF is one of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for its implementation.

The Fund is providing part-funding for applicant-led projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit.

The URDF, as a key activator of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and Project Ireland 2040, is supporting a programme of significant transformational capital projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the NPF and PI2040.

All applications for URDF support are assessed in terms of their alignment with the intended purpose of the URDF programme and also their viability before being considered for approval.

Under Call 2 of the URDF, the recently announced global provisional funding of €121.3m for Dublin City Council's multi-element project, the North Inner City Concept Area 1, includes €12.17m funding towards the 14-17 Moore Street element of the Moore St. regeneration sub-project.

As set out in the press release available on my Department's website at the link that follows, the project will revitalise the North Inner City - https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/5992e-ministers-obrien-and-noonan-welcome-funding-for-moore-st-regeneration-sub-project/.

The funding for the Moore Street national monument will go towards structural and restoration works on the four houses, which will facilitate the opening up of the buildings and the creation of the 1916 Commemorative Centre. The funding will also help with the development of a new museum building to the rear of the historic buildings, providing visitor facilities and exhibitions relating to the rebellion and the military actions in the adjoining laneways and the houses and also the social history of the area.

Funding will allow for the completion of the conservation of the National Monument buildings, and to provide new onsite visitor facilities, allowing for the restoration of the National Monument itself and to open it to the public so that it resonates the mercantile, social and political history of the area.

The creation of a heritage and commemorative centre at 14-17 Moore Street will tie in with the GPO and act as an iconic attraction that is expected to become a central component on the increasingly popular history trail within the city. It is expected that this will have a transformative impact on Moore Street.

In the coming weeks, my Department will issue a formal approval in principle letter in respect of this successful proposal to Dublin City Council, which will set out the arrangements and conditions attached to URDF support, and which will also provide a breakdown of the global provisional allocation by sub-project.

While my Department works closely with the successful applicants in respect of project funding, responsibility for the advancement of URDF supported projects through the various stages of planning, development and completion is, in the first instance, a matter for the Sponsoring Agency, in this case Dublin City Council.

In this regard, it should be noted that all URDF supported projects must be carefully developed and managed by the Sponsoring Agency in accordance with the normal conditions and arrangements that apply to public sector managed projects including, exercising appropriate cost control and delivering projects as approved, and in full compliance with the Public Spending Code.

Planning Issues

Questions (758)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

758. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if agreement has been reached between the NPWS and Galway County Council in relation to method statements that are required to be agreed with the NPWS as part of the planning conditions of the upgrade of the road between Bunakill and Oughterard on the N59, before the upgrade works on this road can progress; if not, if discussions are ongoing in relation to these statements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19596/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

A method statement prepared by Galway County Council which outlines the methodology and environmental mitigation for the installation of 10km of fencing works along the N59 (Bunnakill to Oughterard) as part of the overall N59 Maam Cross-Oughterard Project, was approved in October 2019 following discussions between Galway County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department. I am advised that fencing works are nearing completion. No other method statements are under discussion or are being considered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service for the Bunnakill to Oughterard section of the N59 at this present time.

Departmental Funding

Questions (759)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

759. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding available for general maintenance of a church; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19634/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

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. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). 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.

While general maintenance works have not historically been considered eligible works under these schemes, a maintenance micro-grant stream was added to the BHIS in 2020 to increase the resilience of historic structures to withstand the constant effects of climate change. This allows local authorities to make smaller awards to owners of historic properties to carry out routine maintenance to offset the impact of climate change on their buildings.

The BHIS and HSF for 2021 were launched in November 2020, with a combined allocation of €6m, an increase of nearly 40% on 2020. I recently announced the projects to be funded under BHIS and details are available on my Department’s website. The assessments for the HSF are currently under consideration in my Department and I will announce the approved projects shortly.

In the context of a particular building or historic structure, the best advice is generally to contact the Heritage Officer or Architectural Conservation Officer in the local authority who is well placed to advise on the various types of funding available to assist with renovation.