Denis Naughten
Ceist:129 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government his plans to increase the level of grant available to refurbish listed buildings. [16447/03]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Denis Naughten
Ceist:438 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the plans he has to review the grant aid available for the protection of heritage houses and buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16713/03]
Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 438 together.
My Department operates a number of measures providing assistance towards the cost of conservation works for protected structures.
The conservation grant scheme for protected structures was introduced in 1999 to assist owners or occupiers of protected structures to undertake necessary works to secure their conservation.
The scheme is administered by local authorities, which are allocated a fixed amount of funding for grant purposes in each calendar year. Authorities are required to prioritise applications for assistance on the basis of a scheme of priorities drawn up by them.
The standard grant is 50% of the approved cost of works, subject to a maximum of €13,000. A local authority may, at its discretion, vary this amount downwards, or in exceptional circumstances upwards, subject to a maximum allowable grant of 75% of the cost of the approved works, or €25,000, whichever is the lesser. In 2003, an amount of €2.888 million has been made available to local authorities under this scheme.
In addition to the protected structures scheme, funding of €1.132 million is available in 2003 under the urban and village renewal measure of the regional operational programmes, in respect of the upgrade of buildings of significant architectural and heritage merit which are in public ownership or open to the public generally. Applications for funding under this scheme were invited from local authorities, civic trust and other not-for-profit bodies, and the available funding has been allocated to 55 specific projects following their evaluation by an advisory panel.
My Department also operates a scheme of grants to assist in the renewal and repair of traditional thatched roofs. The basic maximum grant is €3,810, €5,720 for houses on specified offshore islands, and there are additional measures to assist lower income households. A sum of €734,000 has been allocated for this scheme in 2003. The Heritage Council is also providing €1.27 million in grant aid this year for architectural conservation projects. In all, some €6 million is being made available this year from public funds for the conservation of structures.
Annual allocations for conservation grant schemes are determined having regard to the wider budgetary situation. My Department will continue to monitor the operation and effectiveness of these schemes.