Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 3 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 7

Written Answers - Architectural Heritage.

Dan Neville

Ceist:

165 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the number and locations of historic buildings, houses or ruins in Limerick West which are either listed or worthy of preservation or restoration; the plans, if any, she has in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26252/98]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department, is primarily concerned with buildings of the pre-1700AD period and the resources available are mainly directed towards the national monuments and historic properties in State care. There are a total of 51 national monuments in County Limerick in State care at present (as detailed in Table 1).

(1) Recorded Monuments and Places.

While fully completed statistics are not available for the total number of historic buildings, houses or ruins including castles and great houses not in State care, the Record of Monuments and Places identifies many of these properties.

Such a record has been established for over 6,000 sites in County Limerick and is available for inspection at various venues locally including Limerick County Council offices, Limerick County Library, Limerick Corporation offices, Limerick City Library, Teagasc offices and the Limerick City Museum.

Fieldwork has commenced on the more detailed inventory stage of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland in relation to County Limerick and, on completion, will add considerably to the information available on sites in the county.

(2)Architectural Heritage

A National Inventory of Architectural Heritage is being undertaken by Dúchas. There are a projected one million structures to be recorded throughout the country making it a long-term project which is aimed for completion by 2010. Surveying has not yet commenced in County Limerick.

The Government have agreed to the establishment of a new grant-aid scheme for approved conservation works to listed buildings which will commence in 1999. This scheme includes measures for the protection of the architectural heritage (including the new grants scheme for listed buildings) agreed by Government and announced by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government and myself in May 1998. The new grant scheme will be administered by the local authorities. It will have funding of approximately £4 million per annum and will be operated in accordance with national criteria and standards to be drawn up by an advisory group comprising of representatives of the two Departments and The Heritage Council.

Draft Bills to provide for further protective measures and to establish the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage on a statutory basis are being prepared.

Table1 — National Monument in State Care in County Limerick

	County	Monument	Townland	National Monument No.
359	Limerick	Megalithic Tomb (Leaba na Muice) (F)	Ballynagallagh	247
360	Limerick	Crannóg (Crock Isld)	Grange	247
361	Limerick	House Site (Spectacles)	Grange	247
362	Limerick	House Sites (Knockadoon)	Grange	247
363	Limerick	Hut Sites (Carrigalla)	Grange	247
364	Limerick	Megalithic Tomb (E)	Grange	247
365	Limerick	Standing Stone (A)	Grange	247
366	Limerick	Stone Circle (C)	Grange	247
367	Limerick	Stone Circle (D)	Grange	247
368	Limerick	Site, Barrow	Knockfennel	247
369	Limerick	Stone Circle (T), Fort	Knockfennel	247
370	Limerick	Cairn (M)	Lough Gur	247
371	Limerick	Cairn (P)	Lough Gur	247
372	Limerick	Circle Enclosure and Standing Stone (J)	Lough Gur	247
373	Limerick	Circular Enclosure (K)	Lough Gur	247
374	Limerick	Circular Enclosure (L)	Lough Gur	247
375	Limerick	Megalithic Tomb (M)	Lough Gur	247
376	Limerick	Standing Stone (N)	Lough Gur	247
377	Limerick	Standing Stone (S)	Lough Gur	247
378	Limerick	Stone Circle (O)	Lough Gur	247
379	Limerick	The Stone Forts (Carrigalla)	Lough Gur	247
380	Limerick	Two Standing Stones (I)	Lough Gur	247
381	Limerick	Two Stone Circles (G)	Lough Gur	247
382	Limerick	Desmond Castle	Adare	622
383	Limerick	Askeaton Castle	Aghalacka	201
384	Limerick	Ringfort and Fulachta Fiadha	Ballylanders	625
385	Limerick	Hospital Church	Barrysfarm	194
386	Limerick	Church (Mungret Group)	Baunacloka	85.01
387	Limerick	Church	Carrigeen	83
388	Limerick	Clonkeen Church	Clonkeen-Barrington	84
389	Limerick	Killeen Church	Cowpark	345
390	Limerick	Earthworks (part)	Cush	–
391	Limerick	Passage Grave etc. (Duntryleague Hill)	Deerpark	315
392	Limerick	Mungret Abbey Church	Dromdarrig	85.02
393	Limerick	Rathard Fort	Garryheakin	555
394	Limerick	Killulta Church	Glennameade	341
395	Limerick	Castle	Glenquin	268
396	Limerick	Collegiate Church of SS. Peter & Paul	Kilmallock Town	408
397	Limerick	Kings Castle, Blossom Gate	Kilmallock	173
398	Limerick	Kilmallock Abbey (Dom.)	Kilmallock (Abbeyfarm)	212
399	Limerick	Ringfort	Kilmihill	538
400	Limerick	Kilrush Church	Kilrush (Limerick Urban)	366
401	Limerick	De Valeras Cottage	Knockmore	576
402	Limerick	Killaliathan Church	Lacka Lower	86
403	Limerick	Fannings Castle (part of)	Limerick (Boros)	383
404	Limerick	King John's Castle	Limerick (Boros)	288
405	Limerick	Askeaton Abbey (Frans.)	Moig South	185
406	Limerick	Abbey (Cist.)	Monasteranenagh	171
407	Limerick	Desmond Banqueting Hall	Newcastle West	582
408	Limerick	Templars Castle Complex	Newcastlewest (Castle Demesne)	636
409	Limerick	Ardagh Fort	Reerasta (South)	459