Minister Browne urges Wexford owners of historic buildings to apply for 2027 heritage grants

Owners of historic buildings and protected structures across County Wexford are being encouraged to apply for a range of Government funding schemes aimed at preserving Ireland's architectural heritage.

Housing, Local Government and Heritage Minister James Browne has announced the opening of applications for three key built heritage schemes for 2027: the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Historic Thatch Buildings (HTB) scheme.

The grants, administered through the Department's National Built Heritage Service, help fund the repair, maintenance and conservation of historic buildings, while also supporting traditional building skills such as stone masonry, lime plastering and thatching.

The announcement follows a successful year for Wexford, where 19 heritage projects received a combined €578,763 in funding during 2026 as part of a national allocation of more than €12 million to over 700 projects.

Minister Browne is encouraging owners of eligible historic properties throughout the county to take advantage of the funding.

"These built heritage funding schemes provide essential investment to help safeguard our historic buildings, including private homes, civic buildings, shopfronts and religious buildings," he said.

He added that the schemes not only help preserve important buildings but also provide valuable work for skilled craftspeople, helping to keep traditional heritage skills alive.

This year, the opening dates for all three schemes have been aligned following feedback from applicants and local authority conservation officers. The move is designed to give applicants more time to prepare submissions and allow successful projects to begin earlier in 2027.

Minister Browne said the schemes demonstrate the Government's commitment to working with communities to protect Ireland's built heritage.

He said the funding represents "an effective partnership between the State, local authorities, individuals and communities" in preserving historic buildings for generations to come.