The Community Monuments Fund 2026 has been officially launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan TD.

Next year's fund will allocate €7.5 million to assist the owners and custodians of archaeological monuments in safeguarding these historic sites into the future. It is estimated that the 2026 funding will support approximately 120 projects nationwide. Since its inception, the fund has already been awarded to over 740 projects across Ireland.

Minister Browne welcomed the launch: "We are very pleased to announce the Community Monuments Fund for 2026. Our archaeological monuments are a great source of pride for local areas. We must protect them for all to enjoy long into the future and prevent them from falling into disrepair and this fund provides financial support for that protection."

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He encouraged owners and custodians to contact their local authority heritage teams to learn more about the application process.

Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan added that the €7.5 million investment is as much "in communities as it is in the protection and preservation of our archaeological monuments."

He noted the positive local impact: "I have seen for myself how these projects can bring people together around a shared goal to conserve and celebrate their heritage, and the positive impact it can have at the local level. As Minister for Heritage, I want to support communities to protect our national monuments as living reminders of our history that can be cherished for generations to come."

The core purpose of the Community Monuments Fund is to conserve, maintain, protect, and promote local monuments and historic sites. The scheme operates through three distinct streams:

• Stream 1: Offers grants up to €100,000 for essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments.

• Stream 2: Offers grants of up to €30,000 for the development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports aimed at identifying conservation measures and improving public access.

• Stream 3: Offers grants of up to €30,000 for the enhancement of interpretation (including virtual/online) and access infrastructure at archaeological monuments.

The scheme is administered by the National Monuments Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, working through the Local Authorities.

The closing date for applications for the 2026 round of grants is 13 February 2026.