Eighty traditional farm buildings across Ireland, totalling just under 6,000 square metres, were repaired and returned to working use on farms in 2025 with grants from the Heritage Council under the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant scheme, according to a report from the council.
The scheme supports the conservation of traditional buildings for renewed agricultural use as part of the normal working life of the farm. The report said the Department of Agriculture recognises that by reusing existing buildings, the scheme contributes to climate change mitigation and the sustainable use of resources, and helps farmers become more climate resilient.
Past maintenance is weighed when applications are assessed, ongoing maintenance is a condition of the grant and is followed up by departmental inspections, and the works follow the conservation principle of minimum intervention, keeping historic fabric and materials for heritage and environmental reasons. "Maintenance is the first step in our architectural heritage's climate resilience," the council said.
A 2022 departmental evaluation found that the choice of materials and techniques, and the decision to repair rather than replace, brought significant climate benefits that continue over a building's lifetime. Its overall climate impact was judged moderate only because the nationwide scheme is small.
The Heritage Council is the state agency that advises on and funds the conservation of Ireland's natural, built and cultural heritage, works with communities and local authorities, and runs events such as Heritage Week.
Photo: JoachimKohler-HB / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Agriland
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