Beverley Flynn
Ceist:355 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the buildings in County Mayo that were accorded protected status recently. [5798/01]
Written Answers. - Architectural Heritage.
Under the provisions of the Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) and Historic Monuments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1999, a nation-wide survey is currently being carried out by my Department to help identify structures and buildings which are of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest. The Government is committed to completing all interim county surveys within the next two years and the complete national inventory within a period of 12 years.
In addition, under the provisions of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1999, each planning authority must, for the purpose of protecting structures, or parts of structures, which are of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest, include in its development plan a record of protected structures within its functional area. Under Section 4 of the Act, I may recommend to a planning authority that specific structures be included in its record of protected structures.
As surveys are published I will be recommending to planning authorities that structures rated as being of regional, national or international importance be included in the record of protected structures. To date, the town surveys of Ballina and Castlebar have been published. I have, accordingly, recommended that 29 buildings in Ballina and 57 in Castlebar be included in the record of protected structures of the relevant planning authority. I have forwarded a list of the buildings concerned to the Deputy.
The decision to include buildings in the record of protected structures rests with the elected representatives in each planning authority. If they do not propose accepting my recommendation in any individual case they are required to advise me of the reasons for their decision. In this regard, Ballina Urban District Council has decided to accept my recommendation in respect of 26 of the buildings. The response of Castlebar Urban District Council is awaited.