The Taoiseach has announced a new Irish heritage trust to safeguard the future of historic houses.
Speaking at a conference at NUI Maynooth, Bertie Ahern said the new trust would be established with funding from the Government.
He said that it would be independent and would also be funded through private and corporate donations and possibly membership fees.
The Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, is considering extra tax incentives for donations of heritage properties to the trust and for donations to help run the properties.
Mr Ahern told RTÉ News that without such a trust many historic buildings currently in private hands would be lost to the nation.
