Sir, - In an article in your edition of July 8th, the Dean of Ferns, the Very Rev Leslie Forrest, opposed the hand-over to the Heritage Council of the Bishop's Palace in Kilkenny. As one who voted for the transfer at the meetings of both the Diocesan Council and the Representative Church Body, may I be allowed to add some facts not included in the article?
What was on offer was that, in exchange for the Heritage Council taking over the palace for use as offices, the council would restore it in keeping with conservation legislation. In addition, the council would fund a residence for our bishop to be built by the Representative Church Body (RCB) in a suitable sensitive location in the existing palace grounds.
A conservation plan for the palace, commissioned by the Heritage Council and the Church of Ireland, was presented by the company, selected from five contenders, to a meeting of the diocesan councils, members of which were entitled to decide the issue. The report confirmed what the RCB of the Church of Ireland already knew: that the building was excessively large for present-day use as a bishop's residence and that it was very expensive to run. It also stated that any attempts to separate the bishop's living quarters from the public aspects of the building (e.g. a dual use) would require "a level of intervention which would seriously detract from the building and that the level of cost could not be justified". The plan stressed the national importance of the building and that modern legislation required proper conservation to be carried out. The cost of this, subject to further detailed examination, was reported as being in the region of £800,000.
When considering my vote I was satisfied that there could be no more sensitive organisation to look after the palace than the one responsible for national heritage. The offer guaranteed access for diocesan use on a set number of formal occasions each year. It also undertook that no alterations would be made to the palace or its surrounds without prior agreement with the Church of Ireland. Further, it would not be sold on without first refusal being offered to the Church.
Had the offer been rejected, the consequence would have been that the Church would be responsible for the conservation plan and for raising the £800,000. And it would not be any nearer to providing acceptable modern accommodation for the bishop.
The overall vote by the diocesan councils in favour of the offer was just short of a two-to-one majority. This was followed by the RCB confirming the decision by a three-to-one majority. As published on July 15th, the Legal Advisory Committee has confirmed that the vote to accept the offer by the diocese in which the palace is situated was valid.
When I voted I was of the view that, acknowledging its national heritage importance, the palace is an unsatisfactory, expensive and unsuitable residence for a bishop of the modern church. I was equally satisfied that its future conservation and integrity would be in the safest possible hands with built-in guarantees for the Church of Ireland regarding its use by the diocese and its future integrity. I was also delighted that an obligation to provide our bishop with a custom-built modern residence could be fulfilled. - Yours, etc.,
The O'Morchoe, Gorey, Co Wexford.