Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 April 2017
216. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if funding is available to renovate an old thatch cottage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18995/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFinancial support is provided by my Department through a number of structured schemes for the conservation and protection of heritage buildings, including the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, the Structures at Risk Fund and other initiatives operated by the Heritage Council.
The Built Heritage Investment Scheme is a scheme for the repair and conservation of protected structures (i.e. structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures). The scheme is expected to support over three hundred projects across the country in 2017 and to create employment in the conservation and construction industries, while helping to regenerate urban and rural areas.
The Structures at Risk Fund enables conservation works to heritage structures in both private and public ownership, which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts and are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. Structures must be on the local authority Record of Protected Structures. The fund, administered through the local authorities, seeks to encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures which might otherwise be lost.
While both of the above schemes were open for applications throughout the month of February and the closing dates have now passed, my Department will work closely with the local authorities throughout the year in order to ensure that the best possible use is made of all funds within the schemes, including by reallocating funds where necessary when projects do not proceed within agreed timeframes.
The circulars setting out the terms and conditions of the schemes are available on all local authority websites, and on my Department’s website. Any enquiries should be directed to the relevant local authority.
In the context of a particular building, especially one which is on the Record of Protected Structures, the best advice for the owner may be to contact the Architectural Conservation Officer of the local authority who will be able to advise on the various types of funding available to assist with the building.
The Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also provides grants for the protection and preservation of the built heritage. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how its funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports annually having regard to competing priorities for limited resources. Grant schemes for 2017 are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie .
My Department does not administer a funding scheme specifically for thatched structures. However, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government administers a grant scheme for the renewal or repair of thatched roofs of owner occupied houses. Full details are available from their website or by contacting the Thatching Grants Section of that Department.
