Funding sum allocated to dilapidated Knocklofty House 'not used'

A TD has highlighted that €10,000 Built Heritage funding allocated for emergency repair works at Knocklofty House near Clonmel has not been taken up by the building’s owners.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has appealed to the owners of the mansion to engage with the authorities immediately in relation to carrying out protection work on the dilapidated historic property.

“In March, €10,000 was allocated under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme for works to mitigate issues of severe damp at Knocklofty House in Clonmel,” he said.

“After noticing nothing was happening in subsequent months, I asked the Minister why work had not commenced. In reply, the Department told me that ‘the Knocklofty House project will not proceed this year’, and that this was a decision made at the discretion of Tipperary County Council.

“Tipperary County Council have now told me that ‘the applicant did not proceed with the agreed works, therefore the offer of grant aid was withdrawn’.

“Ultimately, this is a decision that rests with those who have control of the structure. For some reason they appear to have decided not to use the money acquired by Tipperary County Council from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for emergency repairs.

“I will continue to pursue this matter further, given that in my opinion, it should now be considered a derelict structure.”

Clonmel Sinn Féin activist Dean McGrath said he was deeply troubled by this development.

“While €10,000 was hardly sufficient to address all of the structural problems with this historic building, it was welcome none-the-less. I will continue to press for action to be taken for the sake of this historical building.”