Thatch great news! Offaly heritage projects get funding boost

27 heritage projects in Offaly are to receive funding after an announcement by the Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan.

Minister Noonan announced that 512 heritage projects across every county in the country will benefit this year from €4m in funding through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The projects to receive funding include 27 in Offaly:

Offaly Minister Pippa Hackett welcomed the news and said: “I’m delighted to see my Green Party colleague Minister Malcolm Noonan announcing this funding today,” she said.

“Offaly has been successful in an astounding 27 funding applications. The money will go towards thatching, lime rendering, joinery repair, and masonry stabilisation. We have fine old buildings in Offaly that deserve to be preserved and protected. In doing so we are also keeping some of the old skills alive.”

Speaking today, Minister Noonan said: “I am delighted to announce €4m investment in our built heritage through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for 2022, which will assist the owners and custodians of 512 historic and protected structures across the country.

"The funding will allow for conservation works to our built heritage, to help safeguard it for future generations. These awards will provide an economic stimulus across all 31 local authorities, and I’m delighted to see 27 projects in Offaly have received funding approval.

"The investment will provide employment to small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople, ensuring a continued focus on the traditional crafts – all of which help us to deliver on Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage plan which I launched last month.”

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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.

The scheme is not limited to private dwellings and also provides assistance to a wide range of other important heritage structures – this year’s BHIS includes awards to historic landmarks including Blarney Walled Gardens in Cork; Slane Castle, Co. Meath; St Canice’s Deanery in Kilkenny; and Bus Áras, Dublin as well as historic houses, church buildings, mills, and a former fever hospital.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, said: “Today’s announcement of €4m funding for 512 built heritage projects under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2022 is fantastic news. This funding will help safeguard our built heritage and will create economic benefits by generating employment in specialist trades, providing opportunities for heritage contractors and skilled tradespeople. The wide range of projects being funded by this year’s scheme is representative of the diverse nature of Ireland’s built heritage and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of owners in caring for that heritage."

Minister of State for Local Government, Peter Burke, TD, also welcomed the announcement, stating: “The continued success of the Built Heritage Investment Scheme highlights the efforts of the Local Authorities, particularly the Architectural Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff, and the close working relationship they have with the Department. Once again, the BHIS will fund conservation work on many projects within our towns, in line with this Government’s commitment to put Town Centres First”.