
GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme
An annual grants scheme for the conservation and repair of traditional farm buildings and related structures for farmers in the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS)
2012 - ongoing
An initiative to promote heritage-led regeneration and to improve the quality of our historic towns and villages for residents and tourists.
An initiative to promote heritage-led regeneration and to improve the quality of our historic towns and villages for residents and tourists.
Many of our city, town and village centres are historic places with their own distinct identities. Sustaining these is a complex process that in many cases involves the conservation and re-use of existing buildings, the care of public spaces, the provision of community facilities, and the communication and interpretation of what makes the place interesting and unique.
In keeping with the Town Centres First policy set out in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future (2020), the Historic Towns Initiative (HTI) is a joint undertaking by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Heritage Council which aims to promote the heritage-led regeneration of Ireland’s historic towns.
The impacts of climate change on our built heritage are increasingly evident. These impacts may be both immediate and cumulative – so that damage from catastrophic events such as floods and storms are likely to increase at the same time as the slow-onset of changes in deterioration processes. The built heritage is also vulnerable to maladaptation, that is, the inadvertent loss or damage to structures and sites during adaptation works. With increased weathering and severe climate events, the repair cycle on the built heritage of our towns is likely to become shorter. Increased maintenance and repair will be key to building resilience in our historic buildings and towns to enable them to withstand the effects of a changing environment.
In 2018 six towns participated and received a total of €1 million under the Historic Towns Initiative: Youghal, Co Cork, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Kells, Co Meath, Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary, Portlaoise, Co Laois, and Kilmallock, Co Limerick (see below). In 2019 €1 million was awarded to Ballina, Co Mayo, Navan, Co Meath, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, Boyle, Co Roscommon, Nenagh, Co Tipperary and Kilrush, Co Clare for a range of building and streetscape conservation projects. In 2020 a total of €1.3 million was awarded to Ballina, Co Mayo, Callan, Co Kilkenny, Sligo, Co Sligo, Tralee, Co Kerry, Ramelton, Co Donegal, Clones, Co Monaghan and Roscommon, Co Roscommon.
The HTI pilot developed a framework approach to regenerating a town based on the principles of heritage-led regeneration. This framework and a review of the HTI pilot programme are available below under "Resources".
The steps in the framework include an audit of the character and identity of the town, building up local support, identifying the challenges and opportunities, developing a vision for the future of the town supported by an action plan and carrying out those actions. The framework and review are a useful source of information for local authorities considering an application for funding under the HTI.
The HTI relies on the strength of local communities and businesses to regenerate their historic town, supported by local and national government and other agencies committed to improving the quality of life for the town. Examples of activities in other towns can be found in the online links at the end of this document.
€1.5 million available for heritage-led regeneration of towns in 2021
View the Press Release
The Historic Towns Initiative aims to provide support to historic towns engaged in a programme of heritage-led regeneration. In seeking applications we are particularly interested in projects that address vacancy in town centres, that propose the re-use of historic structures and that can act as a demonstrator for future projects.
An annual grants scheme for the conservation and repair of traditional farm buildings and related structures for farmers in the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS)
The Heritage Council recommends that the principles of shared ownership and shared responsibility for our landscape should be reflected in planning legislation which is both inclusive and participatory.
Detail of significant archaeological investigations in Ireland which had not been featured widely in printed publications previous to 2004.