The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has opened the 2022 GLAS Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.
This scheme funds the conservation of traditional farm buildings and structures of “significant” heritage value that contribute to Ireland’s rural landscape for agricultural use.
The Heritage Council manages the Rural Development Programme-funded scheme on the DAFM’s behalf.
The scheme – which has been in operation since 2008 – is open to applicants who participate in GLAS.
Grant rates and closing dates
The grants available range between €4,000 and €25,000 up to 75% of the project’s cost eligible for funding with a maximum available grant of €25,000.
The closing date for receipt of online applications is Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022, at 5 pm.
In a statement on Friday, January 21st, 2022, Minister McConalogue said:
“I was delighted to again secure €1.25 million in the budget for this very important scheme.”
“It continues to make an essential contribution to our rural heritage, our traditional skills base and in supporting farmers in the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity.”
“Experience shows us that many of these buildings serve as a habitat for wildlife, in particular bats and birds, with many vulnerable species now relying on these buildings for their survival.”
Useful assets on farms
He said the scheme helps demonstrate that sensitive conservation action and management by farmers “safeguards” these habitats and contributes to the reversal of biodiversity loss.
“It is good to note that so many of these buildings still serve as useful assets for the farm and that it is not just buildings supported but also other built features of our farm heritage.”
He added that retaining and using our traditional farm buildings and other built features avoids the mining, quarrying, felling, manufacturing, and transporting of new building materials.
“The more farmers who renovate and adapt for use on the farm, the less new build will be needed,” he outlined.
“This contributes to climate change mitigation and the sustainable use of resources and supports farmers in their endeavours to be more climate-resilient.”
Skills people
Virginia Teehan, Heritage Council CEO, said that well as their inherent cultural heritage value, traditional farm buildings are an integral component of the Irish rural landscape.
“The use of locally sourced materials naturally connects built structures to their surrounding environments resulting in local and regional characteristics and help serve as contributors to identity.”
“They are lessons in endurance, and we need the skills essential for their repair to endure too. This scheme invests in those craftspeople with the skills to maintain this historic building stock for our future.”
“Skills people carry out repairs in accordance with a conservation ethos which recognises and respects the different values that these buildings retain.”
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