The Government has made a million euro in funding available to restore the roof of St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin.
It's one of the country's oldest structures at over 800 years of age, having replaced a wooden building there in the 1100s.
Minister Darragh O'Brien says the building would be at risk if the repairs weren't carried out.
The Cathedral has been unable to accept visitors this year, but ordinarily welcomes over 600,000 people a year.
Looking from St Patricks Cathedral towards Christchurch Cathedral and the Iveagh Trust Buildings in between #LoveDublin@cccdub @VisitDublin @libertiesdublin @DiageoIreland @dodublintours @SilvijaTravel @HistFest @CultureDateD8 pic.twitter.com/BG5r1iMUTV
— Old DublinTown. com (@OldDublinTown) May 14, 2019
"Grave Physical Risk" Avoided - Minister
Minister O'Brien said this funding will avoid risking the future of the historic building.
"To pause the roof project would entail not only financial risk but a grave physical risk to the future of this historic medieval building."
"I know that all financial plans were carefully stress tested, but the Cathedral could never have envisaged undertaking the project through a time where it experienced zero income due to the necessary public health restrictions in place to combat Covid 19."
"The project must be finished, however, or the Cathedral is left extraordinarily vulnerable and therefore I am pleased to announce additional support of €1m today."
