Local Authority Heritage Officers

County Heritage Officers are employed by Local Authorities in partnership with the Heritage Council under the auspices of the Heritage Officer Programme, which was initiated in 1999. The Heritage Council provides financial subsidisation of employment costs to Local Authorities, for employment of Heritage Officers (Year One: 75% / Year Two: 50% /Year Three+: 25%.). In addition The Heritage Council provides grant assistance annually to Local Authorities for projects that support the implementation of their County Heritage Plans through our County Heritage Plan Grant Programme.

As of 1st September 2021, there is now a Heritage Officer employed in each Local Authority.

Your Local Authority Heritage Officer Contact Details

The Role of the Heritage Officer

Heritage Officers manage the heritage function within a county in a strategic and coordinated manner. They adopted an integrated approach to heritage, which envelopes all aspects of heritage within the overall heritage service. They aim to promote enhanced levels of understanding, conservation and preservation by improving the status and perception of heritage in their local area. Heritage objectives are identified and priorities in Local Heritage Plans that are formally adopted by Local Authorities.

The Heritage Officer function is extremely broad and carried out in the context of individual local authority preferences. Some of the principal areas addressed by Heritage Officers include

• Local Heritage Plans
• Advice and Information for Local Authority Staff
• Data Collection
• Liaison
• Public Relations
• Public Consultation
• Strategies, Policies and Projects

Benefits of having a Heritage Officer

• County Heritage Officers play a key role in promoting awareness, knowledge and pride in local heritage.
• They provide advice, guidance and information on various aspects of Irish heritage and heritage best practice.
• As part of their work, officers collect data and undertake research on various aspects of the local heritage.
• They play a key role in developing policies and priorities for the identification, protection, conservation and enhancement of Ireland’s heritage.
• They support the integration and inclusion of heritage policy across all sectors, officers also prepare and implement actions of their county’s Heritage and Biodiversity Plans.

City and County Heritage Plans

The Heritage Council supports the creation and implementation of a Heritage Plan in each local authority area. A link to download the Heritage Plan for each City and County area is included with the contact details above.

Download the Guidelines for Local Authority Heritage Plans below. 

Each year The Heritage Council provides grant assistance to Local Authorities for projects that support the implementation of their County Heritage Plans.

View a selection of the projects funded in 2023 in the publication "Opening the Door to Ireland's Heritage" below.

Training and Development

The Heritage Council provides both financial and non-financial support to Heritage Officers appointed to Local Authorities. The non-financial support is primarily delivered through the Heritage Officer Training and Development Programme which is organised in conjunction with the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network. The current Chair of the Heritage Officer network is Conor Neligan, Cork County Heritage Officer, the vice-chair is Melanie McQuade, Westmeath Heritage Officer.

The Heritage Council endeavors to maintain the standard and quality of the Heritage Training and Development Programme at all times. Direct training has been provided in relation to County Heritage Plans, Heritage Appraisal, Conservation Plans, Facilitation and Planning Legislation.

Local Authority Heritage Forum

Guidelines for local authorities to establish and operate Heritage Forums.