Six million euro will be invested in next year’s Community Monuments Fund to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future.
There will be a significant increase in funding for projects in 2023, it has been revealed. It is estimated that the funding will support approximately 120 projects nationwide.
Previous projects funded by the Community Monuments Fund include Raphoe Castle (pictured above).
The core aims of the Community Monuments Fund are to conserve, maintain, protect and promote local monuments and historic sites. Funding is available to allow conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support.
The aim is to encourage access to monuments and improve their presentation and also build their resilience to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.
The fund supports essential repairs and capital conservation and access works at archaeological monuments and also the development of Conservation Management Plans to identify any measures that may be needed to conserve monuments. Grants are also available to enhance public access infrastructure and interpretation at archaeological monuments.
Speaking today, Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said: “I am delighted to announce a €6 million Community Monuments Fund for 2023. With the excellent collaborative partnership between Local Authorities and our National Monuments Service, the 2022 Fund produced an extraordinary level of community engagement, traditional skills opportunities, and protection of our heritage.
“We are very pleased that we are able to grow this support in 2023 to support over 120 projects. The grant assistance to local authorities, private owners and communities in the maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites in private ownership is an acknowledgement of the important role of our heritage and of those who work so tirelessly to care for it.
