The Heritage Council, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, manages the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme. The principal objective of this scheme 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 for active agricultural use.
Grant amounts vary between €4,000 and €25,000. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine make all grant payments on this scheme following certification by the Heritage Council.
A grant award will not be for more than 75% of the cost of the works with a maximum available grant of €25,000. The grant is available for the conservation of traditional farm outbuildings, including roof, walls, structural repairs, windows and doors.
The grant is also available for other related farm structures including historic yard surfaces, walls, gate pillars and gates. The key conservation principle of minimum intervention applies, that is, carrying out a repair to fix what is wrong but not setting out to do too much work. Works which are, in the opinion of the Heritage Council, restoration works, are very unlikely to be supported with grant aid. The process is highly competitive and it is expected that 50-70 projects will be supported each year.
Criteria:-
Traditional farm buildings constructed before 1960 for a use associated with agriculture, and built using traditional methods and materials of the time such as timber, brick, stone, earth, slate or thatch and which were, or still are, used for an agricultural purpose.
• Other traditional buildings ONLY where it is clearly demonstrated they are in long established active agricultural use.
• Reinstatement of previously existing features which were removed (such as a building which has lost its roof) will ONLY be considered where the Heritage Council deems exceptional circumstances apply and if there is strong evidence, e.g., old photographs, of their former appearance and is necessary and they complete an otherwise intact environment.
• The buildings and other related structures should be in fair condition. If in poor condition they must be repairable and have surviving materials that contribute to their character.
• Other related traditional farm structures, such as historic yard surfaces, landscape features around the farmyard – walls, farm gates and piers, millraces etc.
The 2024 Traditional Farm Buildings grant scheme is now open for applications for 2024.
Further details below
https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/projects/traditional-farm-buildings-grant-scheme
Information Clinic
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcuihqT8sGdFOVbEweIu4asImAfn731ag#/registration
Application form
https://www.heritagecouncil.ie/content/images/Traditional-Farm-Buildings-Grant-Scheme-2024.pdf