VITAL
conservation work on one of the country’s finest cathedrals could grind
to a halt within weeks after savage cuts in heritage funding.
Rev Nigel Dunne, the Dean of historic St Fin Barre’s
Cathedral in Cork, described the Government’s decision to cut by 77%
the funding it gives to the Department of Environment, Heritage and
Local Government’s Heritage Unit, as "daft" and "short-sighted".
The William Burges-designed cathedral, which was consecrated in 1870, is one of Cork’s most iconic structures.
A symbol of the city, it is a protected structure, a national
monument, and one of the city’s most visited tourist attractions.
But following decades of under-investment, it fell into a serious
state of disrepair, presenting its trustees with serious maintenance
problems.
Its towering limestone spires were leaking, with
individual stones splitting, threatening the integrity of its priceless
stained glass windows and interior marble panels. Chunks of plaster-work
began to fall, and today, dust still rains down from its ceiling.
A 10-year €4 million conservation and management plan was drawn up
three years ago, setting out a phased approach to repair and protect the
structure, and it has benefited from heritage funding in recent years.
The spire exteriors have been completely repaired but the funding cuts
mean that vital repair work to the lower walls, as well as crucial
interior work may now stop.
And hopes that state funding could be secured to repair its historic organ have also been dashed.
Dean Dunne said the cathedral’s trustees may not even be able to
afford to carry out the smallest of dozens of minor but essential
projects contained in the conservation masterplan plan next year.
He said the cuts also threaten jobs in highly specialised building and conservation companies.
"This work is absolutely essential. And there has never been a better
time to do it, or better value to be got in the construction industry,"
he said.
"If we had proper funding, we could finish the work sooner for half the price.
"We are constantly being asked by Bórd Fáilte to fill in survey after
survey about heritage and cultural tourism. But there’s not a bean
coming our way to do any promotion."
Cíara O’Flynn, a senior
buildings archaeologist with Southgate and Associates, is overseeing the
St Fin Barre’s conservation project.
"St Fin Barre’s is
recognised nationally as one of Ireland’s mostimportant buildings and is
of international significance," she said.
"And because of
this its conservation will cost more due to the requirement for best
practice standards in terms of craftsmanship, materials and
supervision."
She said while the maintenance and conservation
of historic buildings must be the responsibility of the owners, it is
not realistic to expect private owners and minority religious groups to
shoulder the expense of such works, especially when it involves one of
the city’s most cherished buildings.
"This is why the conservation grants are so vital," she said.
It emerged in the December 7 budget that the Department of
Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s Heritage Unit, which has
responsibility for protected structures, including world heritage sites,
suffered a 77% budget cut.
The Heritage Council, whose role is
to protect, preserve and enhance Ireland’s national heritage, suffered a
47% cut. This is on top of a 30% cut in 2010.
The Heritage Council described its funding cuts as "punitive".
They said the cuts will decimate the heritage sector and close many small enterprises that are dependent on it.
This will have detrimental effects on both our national heritage and the quality of our tourism offering, they said.
Michael Starrett, the council’s chief executive, said he is extremely
concerned about the disproportionate nature of the cuts to the heritage
sector.
"While the heritage sector recognises that it must
share the burden of the cuts required to tackle the country’s economic
crisis, the cuts announced in the budget are completely disproportionate
in comparison to other departmental cuts," he said.
"As a
result, the future of heritage initiatives nationwide which have created
hundreds of jobs, empowered local communities and enhanced the value of
heritage as a tourism resource, are severely threatened."
He
pointed out that in 2009, over three million overseas visitors engaged
in cultural/historical visits while in Ireland, and spent an estimated
€1.9 billion while here.
"In particular, 76% of tourists
identified landscape and nature as the primary reason for visiting
Ireland, and heritage is what defines the uniqueness of a country," he
said.
"Funding will now no longer be available to protect and
manage our iconic buildings, unique and threatened species, landscapes,
cultural collections and rare artifacts, or indeed to support local
communities in taking care of their everyday heritage.
"These
punitive cuts put at risk, not just jobs which are critically important,
but also vulnerable aspects of the nation’s unique natural and cultural
heritage which now may be lost for ever to the country."
An estimated 20,000 people visited St Fin Barre’s Cathedral this year.
Dean Dunne said because of the funding crisis facing the cathedral’s
trustees, a decision has now been taken to invest significant resources
in promoting the cathedral next year.
"We need the income," he said.
Mr Starrett said the Government cannot talk about the importance of
marketing our heritage and promoting tourism if it cuts the funding to
those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to care for our heritage.
In 2009, the Heritage Council spent €600,000 on conservation works to
significant churches and cathedrals of all denominations.
This single scheme created direct employment for 16 people.
Each grant required at least 50% match funding. The St Fin Barre’s project has also benefited from Cork City Council funding.
Other projects in Cork to benefit from Heritage Council grants include
restoration work at St Coleman’s Cathedral and the restoration of the
promenade railings in Cobh, the protection of records of St Joseph’s
Cemetery in Cork, the restoration of Suez Pond in Passage West, a
folklore project on Cork Docklands, an archaeological survey of
Glandore Harbour, and a conversation plan for Blarney Castle.
The cuts also mean that conservation works to historic walled town
defences such as in Kilkenny, Cashel, Drogheda, Dublin city, Wexford),
will be scaled back with the loss of 25 contracting and supervisory
jobs.
The scrapping of grants to historic buildings and
thatched houses will put this architecture at risk and result in the
loss of highly skilled thatchers.
SIC: IXE/IE