The Government has earmarked €1.7 million to buy the Blasket Islands on behalf of the State.
Under an €18.56 million package for built heritage projects presented yesterday by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche, the €1.7 million has been set aside to buy the islands in order to preserve "core conservation areas", according to the Office of Public Works (OPW).
Negotiations on the purchase of the islands, which extend over 1,100 acres, began in 2004 between the OPW and landowners after the launch of the Great Blasket Island Management Plan.
Under this plan €8.5 million was for work such as building a pier, upgrading the existing pier at Dún Chaoin and conservation of the village in its present state as a ruined village.
Last year, about € 700,000 was spent on implementing the Great Blasket Island Management Plan, an OPW spokesman said.
He said the OPW hoped to make the purchase as soon as possible, but that people were entitled not to sell their land.
The package announced yesterday provides funding for several sites including the Rock of Dunamase, Co Laois; Castletown House in Co Kildare; and St Enda's College in Rathfarnham, where Pádraig Pearse once taught.
Conservation architects are also undertaking a study to assess the feasible options for improved use of St Selskar's Abbey in Wexford and Nenagh Castle.
Over €6 million of the total package will go to local authorities, which is an increase of 50 per cent since 2004, according to Mr Roche.
He said the Heritage Council was to be commended for its implementation of the Buildings at Risk scheme.
"This scheme, which will see 74 projects to the value of €1.2 million being grant-aided in 2006, is an important element in the overall State mechanism for supporting the conservation of the built heritage and is in addition to my investment programme today," said Mr Roche.
A grant of €5,000 to both Waterford County Council and Galway County Council will facilitate a survey arising out of recommendations made in a recent report on the future of thatched buildings in Ireland.
Mr Roche said the task of systematically identifying and recording Ireland's built heritage would continue this year under the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH).
"I believe that heritage conservation represents good-value investment by the State in terms of the quality product that it achieves," he said.
Built heritage capital works
State Properties ... €
Phoenix Park Gate Lodges 1,350,000
Rock of Dunamase 450,000
Drumacoo Mausoleum 59,000
Castletown House 1,200,000
St Enda's, Rathfarnham 1,000,000
Emo Court 500,000
Exhibitions Upgrades 250,000
Rathfarnham Castle 100,000
Phoenix Park Avenue 20,000
Rock of Cashel 90,000
St Selskar's Abbey 72,000
Nenagh Castle 30,000
Purchase of Blasket Islands 1,700,000
Other purchases 200,000
Apprenticeship programme 625,000
Other 50,000
TOTAL ... 7,696,000
Properties in trust/private ownership etc
Waterford Cathedral 750,000
Westport House 650,000
Russborough House 531,000
Headfort House, Kells 420,000
Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin 353,000
Fota House, Co Cork ( OPW) 350,000
Moore Hall, Co Mayo (Coillte) 25,000
Waterford Town Walls (Waterford Council) 1,000,000
Lucan Demesne Weirs (OPW/SDCC) 500,000
Ennis Cathedral 150,000
Duckett's Grove (Carlow Co Council) 125,000
Thatch Surveys in Galway 10,000
TOTAL ... 4,864,000