Press release
Minister Noonan announces €8 million to preserve and promote local monuments and historical sites
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan today announced the award of €8 million in funding for 140 archaeological heritage projects throughout the country as part of the department’s Community Monuments Fund for 2023 – an increase of 33% over last year’s allocation.
Welcoming the investment, Minister Noonan said:
“I am delighted to announce funding for 140 archaeological heritage projects across the country under the Community Monuments Fund to a total of €8 million, an increase of 33% on last year. This fund has supported over 330 projects since its establishment in 2020, making a tangible, positive impact to the medieval forts and churches and the historic graveyards and castles into which the lives of our ancestors are woven, along with our own, connecting us to our ancient past.
“It is also, of course, an investment in our future: in the ongoing care, conservation and promotion of these remarkable monuments and historic sites, and in the communities and heritage professionals who expertly manage the effort to conserve, protect and share them. I’d like to thank all of this year’s applicants for their efforts, and wish the successful grantees the very best of luck with their projects.”
The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection, and promotion of local monuments and historic sites, in alignment with the aims of the government’s new heritage plan, Heritage Ireland 2030, and the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan. The scheme contains a range of measures that seek to enable conservation to be carried out on archaeological monuments in need of urgent support, encourage access to these monuments and improve their presentation, and build resilience to enable these monuments to withstand the effects of climate change.
The scheme offers three funding streams to support a broad range of measures aimed at protecting and promoting archaeological monuments, including emergency conservation repair works at monuments, masonry repair, the development of Conservation Management Plans, access infrastructure and installation of interpretation signage, and communication projects aimed at disseminating knowledge of Ireland’s archaeological heritage.
Examples of CMF awards this year include:
Speaking today, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
“When we established the Community Monuments Fund in 2020, we did so with the objective of supporting the heritage sector and providing an effective way to assist Local Authorities and custodians in protecting Ireland’s remarkable yet vulnerable archaeological heritage.
“With my colleague, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, we have grown this Fund yet again from last year, building year on year since its establishment. I am also delighted to see many archaeological monuments in private ownership benefitting – a recognition of the custodianship which is so important to the protection of Ireland’s archaeological heritage.”
Minister of State for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell also welcomed the announcement, stating:
"The phenomenal impact and success of the Community Monuments Fund is a result of the close working relationship between our department’s National Monuments Service and Local Authorities – the Archaeologists, Conservation Officers, Heritage Officers and planning and administrative staff working in partnership with local communities – highlighting their important role when it comes to cherishing and caring for Ireland’s outstanding heritage. We are very grateful to all of the Local Authorities, custodians, and community groups who work tirelessly with us under this fund to care of our heritage and strengthen an important sense of place in cities, villages and towns all around the country.”
A full list of the projects being funded is available to view or download: Community Monuments Fund - Funding Allocations 2023.
The Community Monuments Fund was first established under the Jobs Stimulus Package in July 2020, with an allocation of €1.4 million for expenditure on improvements to archaeological monuments. Funding increased to just over €4 million in 2021, to €6 million in 2022 and has now been increased to €8 million for 2023.
The main aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites. It has a number of funding streams aimed at enabling conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support, encouraging access to monuments and improve their presentation and also to build resilience in monuments to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
The Community Monuments Fund invests essential capital in our valuable archaeological heritage and helps owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public.
The Community Monuments Fund is administered by the National Monuments Service of the department through the Local Authorities.
The Community Monuments Fund has 3 Streams.
Maximum Grant: 100% of eligible costs
Grants up to €100,000 that are aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments. In exceptional cases, where applications are accompanied by a fully costed specification of works and a Conservation Management Plan already in place, grants of up to €120,000 are considered.
Maximum Grant: 100% of eligible costs
Grants of up to €30,000 for development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.
Maximum Grant: 100% of eligible costs
Grants of up to €30,000 for enhancement of access infrastructure and interpretation (including virtual/online) at archaeological monuments.
The Community Monuments Fund provides capital funding for projects involving:
(i) Archaeological monuments that are included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended).
(ii) Archaeological monuments included in the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) as compiled by the National Monuments Service.
Eligible projects were drawn from the following categories:
a. projects proposed by a Local Authority in relation to archaeological monuments in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated;
b. projects proposed by a Local Authority on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of relevant archaeological monuments where there is a tangible public benefit;
c. projects with a clearly defined heritage focus and community or public benefit proposed directly to the department by a State-funded organisation working in the heritage area.