Peadar Tóibín
Question:158. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action being taken to provide tourist facilities at Liscarton Castle, Navan, County Meath. [49233/21]
View answerTuesday, 12 October 2021
Questions (158, 159, 167, 168)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:159. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of castles around the country that do not currently have tourism interpretation facilities. [49234/21]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:167. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that action has not been taken to stop the collapse and depreciation of Liscarton Castle, Navan, County Meath. [49230/21]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:168. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of castles nationally that are depreciating without any care from the State. [49231/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 159, 167 and 168 together.
‘Liscartan’ Castle is a Recorded Monument (RMP Ref- ME025-009), a Tower House protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014. The structure is not in the ownership or care of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and is therefore not managed or maintained by the OPW. This is the case with much of our archaeological heritage, including castles of various classifications, most of which are in private ownership and we are grateful to all owners for their custodianship of Ireland’s heritage. Should a private owner of any monument wish to carry out work to conserve a monument or to provide on-site interpretation material, they would be advised to consult with Local Authority Heritage officials regarding funding possibilities under various heritage grant schemes, including the Community Monuments Fund. It should be noted that all owners are required to comply with the National Monuments Acts.
The Community Monuments Fund is an initiative of my Department, which since 2020 has provided over 5.3 million euro to owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of local communities and the visiting public. Over 200 monuments including castles have benefited from the scheme since late 2020. The core aims of the Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites. Our archaeological heritage spans 8000 years of settlement on this island, with over 150,000 known sites and monuments. The condition of heritage sites vary significantly, and my Department’s grant schemes are aimed at supporting owners and communities in the care of the sites in their stewardship.
Question No. 159 answered with Question No. 158.