The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has reintroduced the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF), which in the past has financed conservation works on a number of protected buildings in private and civic ownership in County Clare.
The Department, which is administering the €624,000 fund, says it will consider no more than two applications from any local authority. The SRF, which applies to structures in immediate danger of significant deterioration, has previously approved funds for works undertaken on Byrne’s Shop in Ennistymon and Oatfield Church in Sixmilebridge.
Clare County Council is inviting applications from around County Clare in relation to the fund, the closing date for which is 4pm on Thursday, March 12.
“The purpose of the SRF is to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), including works to proposed protected structures, and in certain cases, works to safeguard structures within Architectural Conservation Areas, where, in the opinion of the Department, an urgent need for works to such structures has arisen and has been demonstrated.”
“Due to the limited capital resources available for operation of the SRF (€624,000) the Department says it will consider no more than two applications from any County Council and only one of which may be a publicly owned building. Applications submitted by the Council will be considered,” the department stated.
The total value of funding available for each individual project will not exceed 80% of the total project cost, while the minimum level of funding available under the SRF is €15,000 up to a maximum grant of €60,000 per project.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.