Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring has welcomed two grant offers made to Mayo County Council under the Structures at Risk Fund 2012 by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan.
“I have been advised that an allocation of €10,000 has been made to both Foxford Parish Church, Foxford, and to Milford House, Kilmaine.
“I am delighted with this announcement. The funding that has been made available from Minister Deenihan will go a very long way to ensuring these buildings are safe,” said Minister Ring.
Fine Gael Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin also welcomed the grants.
“I am delighted that this money has been allocated to help preserve some of our most important historical buildings. This type of conservation work is vital in order to safeguard our rich heritage and attract visitors.
“This is part of an overall national spend of €712,000 announced by Minister Deenihan to support the conservation and protection of a range of important heritage buildings across Ireland as part of the Structures at Risk Fund.
“The money is allocated to assist with works to safeguard protected structures, in private and civic ownership. This year, 41 projects in 27 local authority areas are being supported.
“This is an investment not just in our cultural heritage but also in our tourism industry. Our old and historical buildings are a real national asset and are a significant factor in attracting visitors to Ireland. Foreign and domestic tourism is a major source of job creation and provides financial benefit to many communities.”
