Substantial funding will be required "for many years to come" to carry out repairs to the fabric of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, according to a conservation plan launched last night by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche.
The Minister announced that €500,000 is being provided for works carried out this year, including restoration of the stained-glass west window, installation of fire protection partitions in the roof space and repairs to one of its turrets.
The conservation plan, prepared by architect Mary Hanna with funding from the Heritage Council, identifies St Patrick's as "a place of outstanding cultural significance . . . one of the most important historic monuments in Ireland".
It says the fabric of the cathedral, though largely dating from its mid-19th century restoration by Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, "reflects Ireland's history, its relationship with England and the crown, and the history of the Church of Ireland".
The plan is intended to provide a policy framework for the future conservation of the cathedral - a protected structure under the 2000 Planning Act - as well as its setting, urban context, monuments, fixtures and fittings.
Dean of St Patrick's, the Very Rev Robert McCarthy, said it was "first and foremost a sacred and holy place" which continued to "inspire all who come to worship and wonder" - including more than 300,000 visitors every year.
Though tourism now contributes most of its revenue, the conservation plan says it has an impact on the cathedral's fabric - notably its glazed floor tiles - while the shop inside the entrance "creates an inappropriate first impression".
With nearby Kevin Street Garda station - originally the Palace of St Sepulchre - due to be vacated, it suggests that this might provide new visitor facilities for the cathedral, including an exhibition devoted to its one-time dean, Jonathan Swift.
In developing its plan for a cathedral quarter, it says Dublin City Council should "acknowledge and support in tangible ways the enormous contribution which the cathedral makes to the cultural and economic life of this part of the city".
While many of its historic structures had been swept away, substantial remains of the historic cathedral precinct include the deanery, Marsh's Library and the old palace, and it says these could be linked once again to reinforce the precinct.
Referring to St Patrick's itself, the plan says some external works and minor repairs can be funded from its annual income.
However, this would not cover the cost of major projects such as re-roofing, or internal repairs and restoration. "New lighting, repairs to Minot's Tower, as well as the provision of any additional accommodation, must also be considered. Substantial capital will be required for many years to come", it says, adding that wealthy individuals might contribute.
The ceiling of the belfry in the tower, which houses its 14 ringing bells, is said to be "in danger of collapse". Parts of it have already fallen, and the plan says a programme of works needs to be put in place to replace the ceiling.
It calls for the preparation of a five- to 10-year programme of priorities and budget estimates covering routine maintenance and repairs, major conservation works and "large-scale capital projects which require substantial funding".
"It must also be recognised that extensive areas of the roof have reached the stage where slates, nails, lead work, valley and parapet gutters have started to fail, and cannot be sustained for much longer by regular maintenance alone," the plan says.
