Additional €350k in funding for scheme to safeguard Irish UNESCO World Heritage sites announced
- Foilsithe: 28 Eanáir 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 28 Eanáir 2026
Landowners and communities may apply for funding through relevant local authorities
Irish World Heritage sites and Tentative List sites can now benefit from an additional €350,000 in capital investment funding aimed at their safeguarding. The funding – from the continued piloting of the World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund - is available through relevant local authorities for the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of archaeological and built heritage within UNESCO World Heritage Properties and Tentative List Sites.
The scheme will be managed by the National Monuments Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, working closely with relevant Local Authorities. It builds on the 2025 Pilot World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund in which €240,000 was allocated to nine projects. The scheme aims to enhance the protection and management of Ireland’s World Heritage Properties, empower local communities and raise awareness of World Heritage.
There are suitable sites across 10 counties eligible to apply (see list in Editor’s Note).
Announcing the funding today, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, TD, remarked:
“I am delighted to announce the investment scheme for World Heritage in Ireland is being continued in 2026, following its success in 2025. It builds on the Programme for Government commitment to support additional UNESCO sites to showcase Ireland’s heritage internationally and supports the implementation of the World Heritage Strategy for Ireland which I launched last year. It will also assist our journey towards inscription of our Tentative List sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan, TD, added:
“Investing in World Heritage is an investment in our shared past and our collective future. This scheme will help protect irreplaceable cultural treasures, support local communities, grow tourism and ensure that future generations can experience, enjoy and learn from the extraordinary heritage that defines us as a nation.
“Last year, the Pilot World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund saw €240,000 of funding allocated to nine projects. This year the funding has increased significantly with €350,000 now available – clearly demonstrating this Government’s commitment to our precious heritage through sustained and meaningful support.”
Notes to Editors / Further Information
Further information can be found in Irish here and in English here.
Queries about the pilot scheme can be sent to worldheritage@housing.gov.ie or to relevant local authority staff.
Eligible Projects
The World Heritage Properties and Tentative List Sites eligible for this funding:
World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund
Total funding available for projects under the pilot in 2026 will be €350,000.
The World Heritage Strategic Investment Fund has two Streams:
Stream A
Stream A will provide funding up to €30,000 to improve understanding, interpretation, presentation of sites including access infrastructure (including virtually and/or online).
Stream B
Stream B will provide funding up to €100,000 for the protection and conservation of structures including essential repairs, conservation advice, the preparation of Conservation Management Plans, detailed specifications of works or Archaeological Impact Assessments.
Local Authorities may submit up to 3 applications per World Heritage Property or Tentative List Site.
The core aims of the pilot fund are to enhance, protect and conserve attributes of Outstanding Universal Value in World Heritage Properties and in World Heritage Tentative List Sites. Outstanding Universal Value means the natural or cultural significance of a site that is so exceptional that it deserves to be recognized as part of the humanity’s common heritage.
Eligibility for funding
To be eligible to apply, sites must meet one or other of the following qualifying conditions::
- They are included within the proposed boundaries of a site on the Tentative List as potential attributes of OUV;
- They are included within the boundaries of an Irish World Heritage Property as attributes of Outstanding Universal Value;
- They are included in a Buffer Zone around a World Heritage Property or a proposed Buffer Zone of a Tentative List Site that are considered as protecting or contributing to the OUV.
In addition, sites will have to meet one or more of the following conditions:
- Included in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) under the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended); or
- Identified in the Sites and Monuments Record; or
- Included in the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) of each Local Authority; or
- Eligible for or proposed for inclusion in the RPS but not yet formally approved for inclusion; or,
- Within Architectural Conservation Areas.
Structures in the ownership/custodianship of the Minister or in the ownership/custodianship of the OPW are not included in the scheme (unless prior agreement/approval is in place).
*Dún Ailinne is part of a working farm on private land and is not accessible to the public.
ENDS