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Ministers Launch Community Monuments Fund for 2024
Ministers Launch Community Monuments Fund for 2024
- Applications now open for 2024
- €7 million in funding being provided to protect archaeological monuments
- Approximately 120 projects set to benefit nationwide
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, and Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien TD, have today launched the 2024 Community Monuments Fund.
Next year’s fund will invest €7 million to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future. It is estimated that the funding for 2024 will support approximately 120 projects nationwide.
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 that 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 works for the conservation of archaeological monuments and also the development of Conservation Management Plans to identify measures that may be needed to conserve monuments. Grants are also available to enhance public access infrastructure and interpretation at archaeological monuments.
Speaking today, Minister of State Noonan said:
“I am delighted to announce a €7 million Community Monuments Fund for 2024. The fund has been a resounding success since it was established in 2020 and is now widely regarded as a vital contributor to the protection and preservation of our precious archaeological heritage. The CMF supports these vulnerable community assets by improving public accessibility and preserving the irreplaceable richness and sense of place that they bring to communities, villages, towns and cities. It also provides thousands of hours of employment for conservation architects, archaeologists, traditional skills workers and others to help deliver on key national policies, such as Heritage Ireland 2030 and the Climate Change Adaptation Plan in relation to archaeological heritage. I look forward to receiving the applications this coming February, 2024.”
Commenting on today’s launch, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
"We are very pleased to announce the Community Monuments Fund for 2024. Funding for this scheme has grown considerably since the inaugural scheme of 2020 and I am thrilled to have secured significant funding again this year. The fund helps to support the heritage sector and provides an extremely impactful way of assisting Local Authorities, State-funded organisations and private owners in protecting our outstanding yet vulnerable archaeological heritage.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell, said:
“Our archaeological heritage lies at the heart of communities across this country, an inheritance of monuments showing a past that we are all obliged to protect. It is fantastic to see the co-operation between Local Authorities and the National Monuments Service in rolling out and operating this fund. I would like to thank the Local Authorities and the National Monuments Service for their dedication and effort in the administration of this important scheme.”
The closing date for applications for the 2024 round of grants is 14 February 2024.
Previous projects funded by the Community Monuments Fund include:
Kildare Cathedral Round Tower