Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
364. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a heritage grant is available for renovating ruins next to a house or on the home property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9610/22]
View answerMy Department provides financial support for eligible conservation works towards heritage buildings, historic structures and archaeological monuments through three 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) and the Community Monuments Fund (CMF).
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. Included in the HSF is a stream for vernacular structures, under which conservation works to ‘informal’ traditional buildings may be funded. 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. The CMF is for investment in archaeological heritage and helps owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
On 5 November 2021 I launched the 2022 BHIS and HSF schemes which will have funding of €8m - an increase of €2 million from 2021. Full details of both schemes are available on my Department’s website as well as on the websites of the local authorities; it should be noted, however, that the deadline for applications to the local authorities for the 2022 schemes has now passed. On 17 November 2021 I launched the 2022 CMF scheme with funding of €5m – an increase of almost €1m from that awarded in 2021. The deadline for applications to my Department from the local authorities for this scheme is 1 March 2022.
It is intended to run all three schemes again in 2023 and full details will be available on my Department's website, and from the local authorities, from November onwards. You may wish to ascertain the eligibility of the structure you have in mind in the meantime. In the context of a particular building or historic structure, the best advice is generally to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer or Heritage Officer in the local authority who is very well placed to advise on the various types of funding available.
