A Future for Irish Historic Houses - Irish Heritage Trust

Section 6: Key Recommendations
Introduction
This study is not concerned with the safeguarding of privilege but with the
preservation of the state’s architectural heritage and the handing down of it intact to
future generations. Historic houses should be recognised as the symbols of the
creative skills of architects and craftsmen, some of whom were of international
importance and most of whom were Irish.
It is imperative that the present and future governments act to ensure the continued
and careful preservation of historic houses for the benefit of future generations.
Political goodwill is of the utmost importance. There must be recognition that funding
for the conservation and preservation of these houses is necessary recognising that the
original families do not in most cases have the financial capacity to properly maintain
and conserve their houses.
It is important that the preservation of historic houses should not be seen to take
precedence over any other historic property. To do so would perhaps continue to
focus resentment upon historic houses and their owners. It must be approached in a
reasonable and practicable manner and one that is not seen to be burdensome to the
taxpayer or of greater priority than vital social services such as health or education.
There have been previous reports with recommendations with regard to the future of
historic houses. For example, over a quarter of a century ago, in 1977, An Taisce
published a major report on the future of historic houses, gardens and collections in
Ireland. Its two main recommendations were the establishment of a national trust to
secure the future of historic properties and secondly, the development of a support
structure of grants and tax relief for existing owners. Section 482 and the
implementation of a number of grant schemes have been of assistance but nothing has
been done with regard to legislation for national trust-type arrangements.
Recommendations
6.1 It is recommended that as an initial response to this report the government should
immediately issue a policy statement regarding the value it places on historic houses.
6.2 A specific inventory of all surviving houses and their important contents needs to
be carried out to ensure they are listed immediately in the Records of Protected
Structures maintained by local authorities and in the surveys being made for the
purposes of the national inventory of architectural heritage. There are many more
houses of great importance surviving that have not been mentioned in this report.
Their situation and circumstances peculiar to them need to be elucidated.
6.3 It is imperative that enabling legislation should be introduced to give statutory
recognition and support to viable national trust-type organisations for this country to
safeguard the future of the remaining historic houses. The fundamental success of
such legislation would be based upon the installation of the principle of inalienability
and the provision of favourable tax concessions that will encourage prospective
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