Housing, Local Government and Heritage | Protection and restoration of heritage structures/listed buildings which might be deemed at risk throughout the country

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the extent to which he has in mind plans for the protection and restoration of heritage structures/listed buildings which might be deemed at risk throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) sets out the framework for the protection of historic buildings, giving local authorities power to add buildings to their record of protected structures, which then places obligations on owners and on the planning authority itself to prevent endangerment of the building.

My Department supports local authorities and owners through the work of the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS), which oversees funding schemes, identifies and surveys historic structures, contributes to policy development, provides technical advice to owners and professionals, and promotes community engagement with our built heritage.

In relation to funding support for at-risk buildings:

The NBHS provides direct financial assistance for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). The HSF is for conservation of heritage structures and historic buildings, in both private and public ownership, for the benefit of communities and the public. The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS). This year these schemes have a budget of €4.5 million each. We will shortly announce a new stream of funding within the HSF to provide expert conservation advice to support the repair and re-use of vacant traditional homes.

The NBHS also advises on the Town Centre First Heritage Revival (THRIVE) Scheme, which has been rolled out by my Department in conjunction with the Regional Assemblies to address European, national and regional policy objectives. THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and is providing €120m to support local authorities and their citizens to re-imagine town centres and to transform under-used or derelict heritage buildings in public ownership through renovation, renewal, and adaptive reuse.

The NBHS also oversees the governance and funding for the Heritage Council, which this year has awarded a range of funding to the built heritage sector, including €1.2m to town regeneration projects and plans through the Historic Towns Initiative. I would note also that the National Monuments Service within my Department operates the Community Monuments Fund (CMF), which this year will provide €7m to assist in the conservation and promotion of monuments and historic sites.

While these are the government schemes specifically dedicated to conservation projects, significant additional funding is provided to the built heritage sector via several other government grant schemes including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. 

Alongside the work carried out by the NBHS and other stakeholders in collecting data, providing expert advice, enhancing public engagement etc., these supports promote the protection and careful adaptation of our built heritage, so that we can realise its full potential and pass it on to future generations with its historic fabric and character intact.