Written Answers. - Architectural Heritage.
Ulick Burke
Ceist:
321
Mr. U. Burke
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands
if she will assist Galway County Council to restore and refurbish the town hall building at Loughrea, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[31896/01]
Ulick Burke
Ceist:
322
Mr. U. Burke
asked the
Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands
if she will evaluate and restore the theatre building at Eyrecourt, Ballinasloe, County Galway; and if she will assist the local community development group towards a proper restoration scheme for this building.
[31897/01]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together.
In general, my Department does not directly provide financial support for the restoration of buildings in private ownership. However, one source of public funds for such projects is the Heritage Council, which has powers to provide advice and assistance, including financial assistance, in relation to the protection, preservation and promotion of the physical heritage. It should be noted that, although my Department funds the Heritage Council, it is an independent statutory body established under the Heritage Act, 1995, and I have no function in relation to any decisions by it regarding the disbursal of grants.
In addition, the Deputy will be aware that my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, launched a grant scheme for the conservation of protected buildings which is being administered by local authorities. All inquiries relating to this scheme should be directed to the relevant local authority, Galway County Council in this instance.
The owner or occupier of a building which is determined by me to be a building which is intrinsically of significant scientific, historical, architectural or aesthetic interest, and which is determined by the Revenue Commissioners to be a building to which reasonable access is afforded to the public, can apply under section 482 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, for relief in respect of expenditure incurred in the repair, maintenance or restoration of the building. Ultimately, the decision to allow tax relief in respect of an approved building is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners.
The Deputy is aware no doubt that last year I launched my strategy under the national development plan for the continued conservation and protection, in the period up to 2006, of the sizeable portfolio of over 740 national monuments and historic properties in the care of Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department. Having conducted a detailed review of the properties under my control I have identified in excess of 100 sites which will require major work from either a conservation, protection or presentation point of view during the above period. To this end, I have agreed to provide funding of in excess of £65 million to allow this essential work to be undertaken over a six year period.
While it is neither feasible nor desirable for the State to control all heritage properties, I am conscious of the need to support the protection of the heritage not in State care. The national heritage plan, which will be published next year, will outline the future approach to the protection of heritage properties in private ownership. This will include the use of the planning and development acts, the completion of surveys such as the national inventory of architectural heritage and increased levels of training in skills and craft areas, which are crucial to the protection of heritage in private ownership.
