Over €904,000 funding has been secured to protect buildings in private and public ownership across Ireland.

A total of 57 heritage projects have been awarded a share of the €904,530 funding under the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF) 2016.

The funding provided ranges from €4,000 to over €26,000 per project.

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, said: "This scheme was first introduced in 2011, and since then it has made an invaluable contribution to the preservation and protection of our built heritage. This year, 57 projects across 27 local authority areas will benefit from direct funding from my Department. Heritage projects in every region across the country are set to benefit under this scheme.

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"Support for our built heritage, is vital not only for the safekeeping of Ireland’s architectural heritage, it also helps to support employment in the conservation and construction industries. Investing in our heritage will also play a very important role in rural regeneration, which of course will be a priority area in my new expanded portfolio.

"Improving the quality and aesthetics of historic structures can add to a community’s sense of pride and contributes hugely to the revitalisation of rural towns and villages. Heritage buildings are a very important part of our cultural landscape, and as the economy continues to improve, I hope to be in a position to support the heritage sector to the benefit of communities across the country."

(CD)