Laois heritage buildings getting €100,000 for conservation work

Historic buildings in Laois are set to get a share of €96,000 for conservation works to help safeguard the buildings for future generations.

A total of 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 Laois buildings to benefit are as follows.
• Emo Gate Lodge €12,500
• O’Connell House, Mountmellick - €7,000
• Lea Church, Killenard - €12,500
• Preston House, Abbeyleix - €6,000
• Portrane House, Stradbally - €5,000
• St. Paul’s Church (French Church), Portarlington - €7,000
• Tenakill House, Portlaoise - €15,000
• Vicarstown National School - €8,000

Thatched houses are:

• Ballacolla - €6,900
• Rathleague - €6,900
• Rosenallis - €8,750
• Cullohill - €450

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.

Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State in the Department of Finance Seán Fleming said built heritage is one of the main attractions for visitors to Ireland so its conservation also reinforces and promotes our tourism industry as well as contributing to the regeneration of urban and rural areas.

He added that it contributes to the vitality of our towns, villages and countryside, instils a sense of pride of place, and enhances the quality of our everyday lives.

"We have some wonderful examples of heritage buildings in Laois and this funding in addition to conserving these buildings will give employment to the many small businesses, skilled conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity," he said.

The funding was welcomed by Laois Offaly Green Party Minister of State Pippa Hackett.

“Laois has some wonderful churches and old houses which are worth maintaining and preserving.
“ We also have a tradition of thatching which is a skill we shouldn’t lose, so I’m particularly pleased to see funding for thatched houses included,” said Minister Hackett.

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD.

“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 in all 31 local authorities, providing 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,” he said.

A statement added that 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.

It said that another aspect of the 2022 scheme is a continuation of a micro-grant stream introduced in 2020 to increase the resilience of historic structures to withstand the effects of climate change. It's claimed this allows local authorities to make smaller awards to owners of historic properties to carry out routine maintenance to offset the impact of climate change on their buildings".