Pleanáil

The Heritage Council is committed to working with individuals, heritage groups, local and national government, and other agencies and organisations, to ensure that the management of our national heritage.

News Archive

VDS Toolkit: Model for implementation of the UNECE Aarhus Convention

The Dept. of Environment, Community & Local Gevernment has formally requested the use of the Heritage Council's Community-led Village Design Statement (VDS) Toolkit to demonstrate the implementation of the UNECE Aarhus Convention...

Minister Deenihan Launches the Historic Towns Initiative

At the launch, Michael Starrett, Chief Executive at the Heritage Council stated that the objective of the scheme is to facilitate and empower local communities to reach their potential through support and capacity building.

Sad Passing of Billy Colfer

Over the past weekend many of us were saddened to learn of the death of Dr Billy Colfer. Billy was a member of the Heritage Council from 2005 – 2010.

Rich Arts & Heritage Audio Content at Podcast.ie

A great new website has been set up at www.podcasts.ie which delivers high-quality, free audio content from Irish writers of poetry, prose and song as well as radio documentaries and story telling about Irish culture, heritage...

Castle Roche, Co. Louth.

Heritage the most significant reason for visiting County Louth: New Report

This report presents the findings of the Co. Louth Visitor Survey 2012 conducted between June and August 2012. By far the most popular reason for visiting the county was to visit Heritage Sites at 18%.

The Fulbright Specialist Awards - Open for Applicants

The Fulbright Commission of Ireland is seeking expressions of interest from Irish institutions to bring a Fulbright Specialist to their institution for two to six weeks.

European Funding Call for Cultural Heritage Research Projects

The Heritage Council, in partnership with the Dept. of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, has allocated €100,000 towards this call for cultural heritage research projects.

Sincere Condolences to the Family of Niall Doherty

The Heritage Council has sadly learned of the tragic death of Niall Doherty - son of Eileen Doherty - a prominent member and former Chair of Roscrea Tidy Towns Committee and also member of the Steering Group for the Roscrea Town...

National Community-Led Village Design Statement (VDS) Toolkit Launched

The toolkit sets out a step-by-step guide to undertaking a community-led VDS in Ireland, using a collaborative & participative process. It has been developed in accordance with the UNECE Aarhus Convention & the European Landscape...

Dublin City Council Adopts 1st 'Public Realm Strategy'

The strategy aims to improve Dublin’s attractiveness to those who live, work in or visit the city by agreeing standards for how the public realm is planned, designed and managed.

Buncrana Lighthouse, Co. Donegal.Sandymount Village Design Statement.Bere Island Aquaculture Co-Op at work.

TidyTowns Heritage Awards 2012!!!

Buncrana Lighthouse, Co. Donegal has won 1st Prize at the TidyTowns Heritage Awards 2012. A number of other Heritage Council-supported communities also won awards.

Community-led Village Design Statement 'Toolkit' Launch & Workshop

The new National Community-led Village Design Statement (VDS) ‘Toolkit’ will also be launched on the day and will provide the basis of the workshop.

Funding for the Built Environment - Government Policy on Architecture

Important opportunity for funding to charities, academic institutions, local authorities, and professional organisations working on Built Environment projects.

irishenvironment.com - June 2012 Issue

The June issue of the online resource - Irish Environment has just been published with a new design which includes a search function, Blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Julianstown VDS group with Alison Harvey, Planning & Development Officer, the Heritage Council receiving National Planning Award.

Julianstown VDS Receives Commendation at National Planning Awards

The Awards aim to highlight the best examples of planning practice and to raise the standard of townscape design and planning awareness both within the public and private sectors.

getthere.ie - Transport Website

getthere.ie is a transport website providing public and private bus and rail information for Ireland, North and South.

(From L to R) Jill Chadwick MCC, Wendy Bagnall MCC, Emer Dolphin JDCA and Chair of SG, Tom Dowling MCC, Claire Burke JDCA, Leo Monaghan JDCA and Alison Harvey Heritage Council. Missing from photograph – Paddy Prendergast JDCA.

Irish Planning Institute’s National Planning Awards 2011-2012

Julianstown Village Design Statement (VDS) Shortlisted.

Front Row: Martin Colreavy, Chief Architect, Architectural Unit, Dept of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht; Grainne Shaffrey, Heritage Council Board Member; Michael Starrett, Chief Executive, Heritage Council; Alison Harvey, VDS Programme II Manager (and Sandymount VDS Committee Member), Heritage Council; Minister Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; John McAlinden, Chairperson, Sandymount VDS Committee; Lorna Kelly, Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Emer Sexton, Heritage Council Planning Intern; Michael O’Neill, Dublin City Council, South East Area Manger. Back Row: Claire Liston, Executive Planner (and Sandymount VDS Committee Member), Dublin City Council; Tony Reid, Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Valerie Jennings, Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Joe Mc Carthy, Vice-Chair Sandymount VDS; Eoghan Murphy T.D. and Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Maria Parodi, Deputy Mayor, Dublin City Council and Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Joe McCann, Sandymount VDS Committee Member; Sheila Dunne, Executive Administrator, Dublin City Council and Sandymount VDS Committee Member. Missing from photo: Elaine Ring, Heritage Council Intern and Sandymount VDS Committee Member.

Launch of Sandymount Village Design Statement

Minister Jimmy Deenihan T.D. launched the community-led Sandymount Village Design Statement (VDS) in the Sandymount Hotel on the evening of the 7th September 2011.

Proposed Central Access Scheme, Kilkenny City

Response to the Revised Environmental Impact Statement, (January 2011), (ABP Ref. No. PL10.HA0014), April 2011

Abbeyleix Sustainable Communities Plan

All are invited to a meeting on the draft Abbeyleix Sustainable Communities Plan in Abbeyleix Heritage House on Monday 18th April 2011, at 8.00 p.m.

The draft Plan will present a draft vision and strategy for the future...

Review of Draft Sligo County Development Plan 2011-2017

Comments submitted here relate primarily to Volume 1 Chapter Seven: Heritage, Appendix F

Review of County Clare Draft Development Plan 2011-2017

Comments submitted here relate primarily to Chapter 16- Landscape, Chapter 17- Natural Heritage and associated elements of other chapters. Submission to Clare County Council, 2nd April 2010.

Fethard Planning Appeal

Submission in relation to the Fethard Draft Local Area Plan 2010

Ministerial launch on evening of 7th October of Julianstown Village Design Statement (VDS) in the Gallops, Julianstown: VDS Project Steering Group with Minister Cuffe – L to R – Jonathan Gannon (Heritage Council Intern), Emer Dolphin (Chair), Paddy Prendergast, Wendy Bagnall (Sen Planner, Meath County Council), Minister Ciaran Cuff T.D., Senator Mark Dearey, Alison Harvey (Nat VDS Programme II Manager, Heritage Council), Leo Monahan, and James Hennessey, Paul Hogarth Company.

Julianstown Village Design Statement

A National ‘Pilot’ for the Heritage Council’s Village Design Statement (VDS) Programme II. Launched by Minister Ciarán Cuffe T.D, October 2010.

Alison Harvey, Planning & Development Officer of The Heritage Council addressing the meeting of the Balbriggan Public Realm.Sean Crosson of the Public Realm Plan steering group taking a question from a member of the public.Alison meets Balbriggan locals following her presentation.Chamber of Commerce President, Joe English, Rob Merriman Intern with the Heritage Council, Alison Harvey Planning and Dev. Officer Heritage Council and Fingal Cllr. May McKeon, with Balbriggan Town Manager Peter Caulfield at the Balbriggan Public Realm meeting.Andrea Lazenby-Simpson of Keith Simpson Associates, Planning Consultants and Alison Harvey Planning and Dev. Officer Heritage Council.Alison Harvey Planning and Dev. Officer Heritage Council and Andrea Lazenby-Simpson of Keith Simpson Associates, Planning Consultants...Andrea Lazenby-Simpson of Keith Simpson Associates, Planning Consultants and Chamber president Joe English at Public Realm Balbriggan.

Balbriggan Public Realm Plan

Presentation by Alison Harvey on the 27th of July 2010 held in Balbriggan Town Hall.

Alison Harvey, David Kirkwood and Karen FoleyPam Harty, Alison Harvey and David KirkwoodILI Awards display. [Click on link at bottom of page to download and view.]

Heritage Council and partners win Irish Landscape Institute President's Award

The Heritage Council and eight partner institutes have won the Irish Landscape Institute (ILI) 'President’s Award' 2009 for the design and delivery of their All-Island, Multi-disciplinary Introduction to Landscape Character...

National Planning Awards 2010

The Irish Planning Institute National Planning Awards 2010 will take place on Friday, 12th February 2010 in Dublin.

The first Public Realm Plan (PRP) for the historic town of Wicklow completed

Following an in-depth public consultation, the drafting of the first Public Realm Plan for the historic town of Wicklow is now complete.

Public Realm Plans in Historic Towns

The Heritage Council introduced the concept of Public Realm Plans (PRPs) in 2006 through the work of its all-island initiative — the Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN).