Ireland has a unique built environment of extraordinary quality – our historic buildings and structures are a vital part of our national heritage. There are almost fifty thousand protected structures around Ireland. Many of these are in great need of investment to ensure their preservation and continued use so that they remain a living part of our history and community life into the future. The primary focus of the historic Structures Fund is to assist the conservation and enhancement of historic structures and buildings for the broader benefit of communities and the public.

The core aims of this fund are to:

• enable larger scale conservation works to be carried out on heritage structures which are deemed to be significant and in need of urgent support;
• encourage the regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and to help to secure the preservation of protected structures and/or culturally significant assets;
• support the investment of private capital in labour-intensive projects to conserve historic structures in public and private ownership for community use.
• support employment in the conservation and construction industries. build resilience in our heritage properties to enable them to withstand the effects of climate change.

The Department encourages project promoters to incorporate a traditional skills training element in
the project.

The primary focus of the Historic Structures Fund will be on conservation and enhancement of historic structures and buildings for the benefit of communities and the public.

The closing date for applications is the 20th of December 2024.

While the primary responsibility to care for and maintain a protected structure rests with the owner, the Historic Structures Fund will invest essential capital in our valuable built heritage and help the owners and custodians of historic structures to safeguard them into the future for the benefit of communities and the public. There are almost fifty thousand protected structures around the country. Many of these are in great need of investment to ensure their preservation and continued use so that they remain a living part of our history and community life into the future.

Available Funding: €50,000-€200,000

The Historic Structures Fund 2025 will be structured as follows: 

1. Protected Structures: Structures in the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) of each Local Authority.

2. Structures eligible for or proposed for inclusion in the RPS but not yet formally approved for inclusion: Such structures must meet the criteria for inclusion in the RPS by the Local Authority, i.e. must be of special interest from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical point of view.

3. Structures or works within Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs), or within the amenity of a National Monument, where exceptional circumstances apply.

4. Eligible projects will be as follows: 

• Projects proposed by local authorities on foot of applications from private applicants who are the owners or custodians of historic structures
• Projects proposed by a Local Authority for works to historic structures in public ownership, where a clear heritage focus and community or public benefit has been demonstrated
• N.B. – Only one application to the HSF will be considered per historic structure
   

Applicants will be required to provide evidence of the availability of matching funding and works must be completed and paid for before payment is made by the Department.

Funding for the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) is being made available as part of Project Ireland 2040. 

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 20th December 2024.

 

Documentation:

HSF2025 Appendix I – Form A (Applicant) (MSWORD, 141.85 kb)

HSF2025 Appendix V Applicant Checklist (MSWORD, 19.56 kb)

Circular – HSF 2025 (PDF, 1.12 mb)