Sir, - In so far as Christ Church Cathedral is concerned your correspondent Margaret Riordan (December 10th) ought to have had no problem with admission charges. The notice outside the Cathedral indicates, not an admission charge, but a requested donation of £2 from each adult visitor. It is, however, the policy of the Cathedral board that anyone demurring about the request be freely admitted to pray anywhere in the entire building or to view it as a visitor. Not unnaturally, we do hope that few will decline to give a donation.
On entering the Cathedral there is a slot into which the donation is dropped. Unless a visitor requires change those on duty at the entrance desk simply welcome the visitor, point to the slot and indicate the stand where leaflets in 10 languages are available. On average, we receive a little over £1 per visitor. Visitors who have declined to donate on entering often do so on the way out.
Most visitors readily acknowledge the enormous cost of keeping this cathedral fully lighted and spotlessly clean during the course of the entire year as well as heated daily during the winter months - not to mention the constant cost of repairs. As an example of this last, the 12th century medieval crypt (the second largest in either Britain or Ireland) is presently being conserved at a cost of nearly £1.5 million. The Corporation of Dublin have generously supported this project (£100,000 promised over five years) but central government, millennium funding and Bord Failte (who gain most from our offering a place of interest to visitors from many lands) have contributed precisely nothing.
If Ms Riordan contacts the Cathedral office I, or one of the Cathedral staff, will personally give her a VIP tour of the entire building (including those areas not usually open to the public) and willingly let her see just what is involved in the daily maintenance of Dublin's oldest building. - Yours, etc.,
John Paterson, Dean of Christ Church, Dublin 8.