Minister Joe O’Brien welcomes €96,000 for Built Heritage Projects across Fingal

7th March, 2022

Announcement follows launch last week by Minister Noonan of Heritage Ireland 2030, a new national heritage plan which seeks to strengthen protection for our heritage in all its forms and provide supports to those responsible for its care.
Funding will leverage approximately €13m in private capital and create thousands of days of employment in traditional heritage trades

Minister of State for Rural and Community Development, Joe O’Brien TD, has welcomed over €4m in funding for 512 Built Heritage projects across Ireland to include €96,000 in funding for projects across Fingal. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Through grants of up to €15,000, the BHIS assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties. The funding can be used to undertake repair work, contributing to the upkeep and maintenance of heritage structures. Examples include roof, wall and joinery repair, draught-proofing windows, lime rendering and the repair of stained-glass windows.

Commenting on the announcement Minister O’Brien said:

“I am delighted to see that €96,000 of this funding will go to assist projects in Fingal. This funding is badly needed to assist the owners and custodians of historic and protected structures to carry out essential repairs. The funding will also provide an economic stimulus providing employment to skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople ensuring a focus on the traditional crafts.

“Projects in Fingal include essential repairs to many churches in our community to include historic window glass conservation / protection at Kenure Church of Ireland, Rush and also mitigation of damp at Holmpatrick Church of Ireland, Skerries. The Glebe House, Minster’s Road, Lusk will also receive funding for roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork, among many other projects in Fingal.

“Ireland has a diverse range of historic built heritage and I am delighted to see funding going to many different unique projects to assist owners and custodians in their commitment to continuing to care for those priceless buildings and structures.”

The protection of our built heritage was one of the priorities in the recently published cross-government strategy for the protection of Ireland’s heritage, Heritage Ireland 2030. Furthermore, partnership is a key theme of Heritage Ireland 2030, and the BHIS is one of two built heritage funding schemes, run in association with the 31 local authorities and their Architectural Conservation Officers and Heritage Officers, working in partnership with the Department to protect our built heritage.

– ENDS –

Note to Editor:

Fingal County Council Projects funded – €96,000

Fingal County Council
Glenmaroon House, Knockmaroon Hill, Castleknock, Dublin 20	Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork & Historic window glass conservation/protection	€6,000
Church of the Assumption (RC), Main Street, Howth, Dublin 13	Mitigation of damp	€8,000
Church of St. Nicholas of Myra (RC), Malahide Road, Kinsealy	Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork	€8,000
Kenure Church (CofI), Skerries Road, Rush	Historic window glass conservation/protection	€8,000
Rowlestown House, Rowlestown	Mitigation of damp	€7,000
St. Columba’s Church (CofI), Church Road, Swords	Internal joinery works & Attic/loft insulation to pitched roofs	€8,000
Holmpatrick Church (CofI), Miller’s Lane, Skerries	Mitigation of damp	€8,000
St. Patrick’s Church (CofI), The Square, Donabate	Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork & stabilisation of boundary wall	€7,000
Glebe House, Minster’s Road, Lusk	Roof repair, structures & coverings including leadwork	€8,000
No. 1 Main Street, Baldoyle, Dublin 13	Thatching	€8,000
Lime Kiln, Feltrim Quarry, Feltrim, Swords	Structural stability	€7,500
No. 5 Nashville Park, Howth, Dublin 13	External joinery repair & reinstatement of architectural features	€6,250
No. 6 Nashville Park, Howth, Dublin 13	External joinery repair & reinstatement of architectural features	€6,250