Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin is facing a funding shortfall of €100,000 in the coming year as the tourism downturn bites. The cost of running the 11th century cathedral is over €1 million per year, 100 per cent of which is derived from tourism.
Church of Ireland Dean Dermot Dunne described the projected deficit for 2009, which represents a fall of 20% on this year's income, as ''a bit frightening''.
''Financially, because of the age of the church we are in constant conservation. Conservation works are part-funded by the Heritage Council and Dublin City Council and we are always struggling to match that funding, so this deficit is a bit frightening,'' said Dean Dunne.
For instance, a recently completed project to clean the stained glass windows and install lightening rods on the cathedral cost €245,000.
Of this, the Heritage Council provided €200,000 and the remaining €45,000 came from the cathedral's coffers.
An operating surplus from 2007 enabled the cathedral to carry out the works.
Up to half-a-million people visit the cathedral every year, which charges €6 admission per person but numbers have fallen in the past year.
The dean said planned works in the five-year conservation plan would now have to be reviewed. ''We have a whole team of professionals on the committee who decide what is emergency work, so we work on a plan of priority.''
Meanwhile, plans to upgrade Dublin's Pro-Cathedral in anticipation of its elevation to full cathedral status could be shelved in light of recent financial difficulties suffered by the Dublin diocese.
At a recent press conference Archbishop Martin indicated that sufficient funds may not be available for the upgrade.
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(Source: IC)