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| The Heritage Council staff and representatives of all heritage organisations who attended the Oireachtas Information Day at Buswells Hotel, Dublin. |
Wicklow Uplands
Council attended an ‘Oireachtas Information Day’ organised by the Heritage
Council on the 13th May in Buswells Hotel, Dublin. The event was attended by 11 other heritage
organisations from around the country to explain to TDs and Senators the
valuable work that the Heritage Council supports and the importance of
reasonable finance for the Heritage sector.
The event took place against a background of drastic
cuts in the Heritage Council’s budget in recent years. In 2011 the
Heritage Council allocated grants totaling €4.6m to 400 local projects and this
reduced to €2.25m for 370 projects in 2012. It was unable to fund any local grants
programme in 2013 and last year it struggled to fund a slimmed-down grants
programme with just €700,000. The
Council faces an even greater challenge this year with only €547,000 available
and with 612 applications from local community groups which means that the
Council can only provide small grants to one third of applicants.
“Over the
past 20 years, the Heritage Council has built a unique, community-based
heritage infrastructure embracing every county and many community organisations
across Ireland. During that time, the
value and effectiveness of investing in heritage in this manner has been well
researched, documented and demonstrated” said Mr. Starrett, the Chief Executive
of the Heritage Council.
He also points to the critical role the Heritage Council has played in growing public awareness and appreciation of heritage issues: “For example, through our support for the county heritage officer network, our outreach through Heritage Week, the Heritage in Schools Programme, the Irish Walled Towns Network, and our Museums Standards Programme, I am satisfied that we have helped to enhance greatly the public value attached to our heritage”.
He also points to the critical role the Heritage Council has played in growing public awareness and appreciation of heritage issues: “For example, through our support for the county heritage officer network, our outreach through Heritage Week, the Heritage in Schools Programme, the Irish Walled Towns Network, and our Museums Standards Programme, I am satisfied that we have helped to enhance greatly the public value attached to our heritage”.
He also said
that despite the massive budgetary cuts and the consequent decimation of the
Council’s community grants programme, “the community-based infrastructure that
has been built up has shown itself resilient and flexible and is clamouring for
modest financial support to implement many projects.” “Today we are asking TDs and Senators to
support local community organisations in developing our economy through valuing
and investing in our local heritage assets. Given the welcome if slow economic recovery now
under way, this is the time to start investing once again in these communities
in a phased and incremental way over the next few years”, he added.
Over the last 20 years the Heritage Council has worked with a range of
partners to establish a local heritage infrastructure that is based on vital
connections between people and place. Such an approach offers immense potential
in terms of Ireland’s development and it is the Council’s ambition that the
next 20 years will see this work continue to expand and engage communities
across Ireland.
Author: Isabell Smyth, The Heritage
Council
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