COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 12, 2023

QUESTION NO. 20

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive for a report to explain what role SDCC has in preserving and maintaining protected buildings listed in SLOs and others in the county development plan that are a) council owned and b)privately owned?  Report to include works SDCC can do on such buildings.

REPLY:

Protected Structures are governed by Part IV of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) which sets out the legislative requirements and the duty of care and responsibility of the owners/occupiers.  Under Section 58 of the Act there is an obligation of care and responsibility on the owner/occupier of a protected structure to ensure that the building is not endangered either directly or through neglect. 

The responsibility of preserving and maintaining a privately owned Protected Structure does not lie within the remit of the Local Authority.  Routine maintenance and upkeep of a privately owned Protected Structure is the responsibility of the owner of the property.  SDCC are responsible for advising and providing grant funding when available for conservation repairs to privately owned protected structures and if required to use the necessary power through the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) if an owner/occupier fails to safeguard their property and there is due course for action under the Act. 

South Dublin County Council continues to maintain and carry out necessary conservation repairs to council owned Protected Structures as per their duty of care and projects are prioritised based on urgency of work and the resources available.  Since the allocation of funds through revenue and capital funding for Council owned Protected Structures, 15 no. projects have been funded and delivered to date by the Architectural Conservation Section, LUPT and other Council Departments working in partnership with the Architectural Conservation Section.