Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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325. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the up to date position with the development of the Barrow Blueway project in south County Kildare and County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25498/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In November 2019, funding of €5m was awarded under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to Waterways Ireland and its partners, Kildare and Laois County Councils to progress the Barrow Blueway from Lowtown to Athy.

Waterways Ireland commenced construction of the Barrow Blueway in early August 2020.

The construction work is being undertaken by Waterways Ireland’s direct labour workforce. Two teams are working on the project, one starting at Milltown Bridge heading north and the other starting at Ballyteague heading south. At present both teams have constructed approximately 1.5km of pathway each.

Work in the Laois area is expected to start in mid-October 2020.

In partnership with Waterways Ireland Kildare County council have advertised tenders for the detailed designs of road crossings and junction improvements. This tender is to be returned in early October and work is expected to commence on site in the spring of 2021.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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326. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of funding allocated to heritage sites and centres over the past six months by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25502/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). To date, a combined sum of over €4.3m has been allocated to 450 built heritage projects across every county in the country this year. These projects are listed below by county.

I approved a further €1 million in funding nationally for the Historic Towns Initiative 2020, which is a joint initiative of my Department and the Heritage Council, which my Department funds. The Historic Towns Initiative is a dedicated programme for the heritage-led regeneration of historic towns. €1m has been awarded in 2020 for heritage led regeneration in the following towns

- Tralee, Co. Kerry

- Ramelton, Co. Donegal

- Ballina, Co. Mayo

- Roscommon, Co. Roscommon

- Sligo, Co. Sligo

- Clones, Co. Monaghan

The Heritage Council also has a role in allocating funding to heritage sites across the country through its own grant schemes. It is primarily a matter for the Heritage Council to decide how this funding should be allocated across the range of research, education and conservation programmes it supports annually, having regard to competing priorities for limited resources. Grant schemes for 2020 are advertised by the Heritage Council on its website www.heritagecouncil.ie.

Responsibility for management and maintenance of historical buildings and sites in State ownership, and management of the visitor facilities, rests with the Office of Public Works (OPW) which also maintains a significant ongoing programme of conservation works. This year, my Department has allocated €350,000 to the OPW for the maintenance of historic buildings and sites.

In addition, the Irish Heritage Trust has responsibility for operating properties at Fota House, County Cork, Strokestown Park and the National Famine Museum, County Roscommon, and Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum and Gardens, County Wexford. This year my Department has, to date, allocated €200,000 in capital to the Irish Heritage Trust towards heritage works at these locations.

I should also mention my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) provides ongoing funding support for the visitor and interpretive centres located in all our national parks, including introductory interpretive videos and customised leaflets and booklets focusing on the natural heritage of the area. These are updated from time to time as opportunity and resources allow.

Built Heritage Grant Scheme Allocations 2020 – by County

">Funding Allocated to Heritage Sites