€1.5 million has been added to a fund by the Department of Agriculture with people able to apply to fix up traditional farm buildings.
The Heritage Council, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, manages the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme. The scheme’s principal objective is to ensure that traditional farm buildings and other related structures that contribute to the character of the landscape and are of significant heritage value are conserved in active agricultural use.
Other related structures such as walls, cobbled yard surfaces, walled orchards, dungsteads, millraces, gate pillars and gates.
The 2025 Traditional Farm Buildings grant scheme will open for applications on 30 January 2025. You must apply online for this grant scheme via our online grant system. We do not provide or accept paper forms.
We will host a short information webinar for applicants interested in applying for the 2025 traditional farm buildings grant scheme on Thursday 6th February 2025 at 12pm.
The closing date for receipt of completed online applications is 5pm Monday 10th March 2025.
The scheme, run in partnership with the Heritage Council, encourages investment by farmers in the conservation of traditional farm buildings and structures of significant heritage value that contribute to our rural landscape, such as historic yard surfaces, buildings, gates and gate pillars that form part of the working farm. Many of the supported structures also provide roosting sites for bats and nesting sites for birds.
The opening date for applications is 30 January, and the Scheme will close on Monday 10 March 2025. A grant award will cover up to 75% of the cost of the works, with a maximum available grant of €30,000.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, said: “This scheme received a prestigious Europa Nostra heritage award in 2024, and I am happy to reaffirm this Government’s commitment to supporting conservation efforts. Today’s announcement ensures that farmers can continue to renovate and repurpose traditional farm buildings, thereby preserving our history for future generations.”
Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, commented: “The Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme is a beacon of excellence in heritage conservation, having transformed over 1,000 vulnerable farm buildings and farm structures since 2008 into functional assets that remain at the heart of farm life. Winning the Grand Prix at the Europa Nostra Awards last year highlights the unique value of this scheme, which not only safeguards Ireland’s built heritage but also empowers farmers with the skills to carry out repairs that protect biodiversity, preserve protected species, and contribute to the sustainability of farming practices for future generations.”
Minister Heydon concluded: “I encourage all eligible farmers to consider applying for support. This scheme has been a really successful partnership between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Heritage Council, and I look forward to seeing future completed projects enhancing our landscape.”
https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/projects/traditional-farm-buildings-grant-scheme
Discover more from Galway Civic Trust - Dúchas Na Gaillimhe
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
0 Comments