What the NIAH is
The NIAH was set up on a statutory basis under the Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) and Historic Monuments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1999, and is run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It has surveyed the country county by county, recording each building with photographs, a description and an appraisal. Its records are searchable at buildingsofireland.ie.
Each building gets a rating of its significance: International, National, Regional, Local, or Record Only.
NIAH isn't the same as a protected structure
| NIAH | Record of Protected Structures (RPS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who keeps it | The Department (national) | Each county or city council |
| Legal protection | No, on its own | Yes, under the Planning and Development Act 2000 |
| Effect on works | None directly; may be cited in planning decisions | Works affecting its character need permission |
The Minister can recommend that a council adds NIAH buildings of Regional rating or above to its RPS, and councils often do. So a building can be on one list, both, or neither. To know whether a building is actually protected, check the RPS: see the protected structures guide.
Why it matters for a site
- A building on the NIAH may be added to the RPS when the council next reviews its development plan.
- Planners may take its NIAH appraisal into account when assessing changes to it, or to buildings next to it.
- Even unprotected, the NIAH record is a good history of the building.
What it can't tell you
- Whether a building is legally protected. Only the council's RPS answers that.
- Buildings from before 1700 are mostly covered by the archaeological record instead: see archaeology.
Sources
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, buildingsofireland.ie, via the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer
Last reviewed 2026-10-02.