Church Assets as Compensation Poll

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Renovations to archbishop of Dublin's palace cost €500,000
By Patricia McDonagh , Independent
Thursday December 18 2008

The Catholic Church spent more then €500,000 to renovate the Archbishop of Dublin's palace in Drumcondra over the last four years.

Figures obtained by the Irish Independent the total paid for doing up the house -- with more than €200,000 spent on the first floor alone.

A spokeswoman said last night that €100,000 of the overall figure went on renovating the kitchen, utility and laundry areas and fitting appliances.

But the spokeswoman refused to confirm that €94,000 was spent installing a top-of-the-range Miele kitchen for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin -- who has spent three decades as a Vatican diplomat and who likes to cook at home.

The spokesperson later said that €77,000 was spent on the actual Miele units and appliances for the kitchen, utility, laundry and storage area.

This area caters for up to 30 people at a time during various meetings, and houses industrial appliances suitable for such numbers, she said.

The figures come in the wake of an interview last Friday in which Archbishop Martin urged the Government to develop a robust national poverty strategy. He also urged people to mind their money.

"We would all be happier if we were a little bit more austere in our lifestyle. I think there is room for a lot of improvement," he told Pat Kenny on the 'Late Late Show'.

Waste

"Nobody is in favour of waste, throwing food away or spending on things that are absolutely useless. If we learn some of that it will be for the good of all of us."

While originally built as a residence for archbishops of Dublin, the archbishop's house is now primarily used for office and meeting purposes.

It contains office accommodation for the archbishop and seven other diocesan personnel.

The building also provides meeting facilities for a range of Church meetings, conferences and events and is an important diocesan resource.

Archbishop Martin and his immediate predecessors have occupied two rooms -- a bedroom and a study -- for their private use.

A spokeswoman confirmed that significant work was required on the downstairs area, which is over 100 years old.

"Kitchen and toilet facilities date back over 30 years and were in very poor repair and no longer in line with current health and safety standards," she said, "A complete overhaul . . . was required."

"Work on the ground floor began at the end of last year. The cost for this work is around €200,000," the spokeswoman added.

The overall cost to date of renovations over four years was €500,000.


The Independent - Print Article

[Cato]

Whoever was involved, whoever is identified as a molester or an accessory to the failure to report a serious crime.

Could you kindly lay off the line that any money seized from the church comes out of the mouth of the poor elderly retired nun?

Go back and read where I specifically stated that the church has large land holdings, commercial properties and residential property portfolios that have nothing to do with little old ladies tottering around retirement bungalows.

Kindly stop assuming that debaters here have an IQ below room termperature. Or are you going to paint a pathetic picture of the priest with a stick and a little spotted red hanky knotted to it containing his lump of cheese.

I've pointed out about the church portfolios, land, share-holdings,art works and wine cellars etc before.

Pack it in with the beol bocht rubbish please.

Thank you Captain. These guys just keep coming with the same old diversionary tactics. There throwing everything at us; misdirection, straw-men arguments, lies, and twisting of words. Who are these people and what exactly is their motivation?

Some Christians posting here have done their religion credit; these others have not.

[Cato]

Rummer? Not with you on this.

Sorry typo, rumour.

A rummer is a large drinking glass, by the way.

[corelli]

Renovations to archbishop of Dublin's palace cost €500,000
By Patricia McDonagh , Independent
Thursday December 18 2008

The Catholic Church spent more then €500,000 to renovate the Archbishop of Dublin's palace in Drumcondra over the last four years.

Figures obtained by the Irish Independent the total paid for doing up the house -- with more than €200,000 spent on the first floor alone.

A spokeswoman said last night that €100,000 of the overall figure went on renovating the kitchen, utility and laundry areas and fitting appliances.

But the spokeswoman refused to confirm that €94,000 was spent installing a top-of-the-range Miele kitchen for Archbishop Diarmuid Martin -- who has spent three decades as a Vatican diplomat and who likes to cook at home.

The spokesperson later said that €77,000 was spent on the actual Miele units and appliances for the kitchen, utility, laundry and storage area.

This area caters for up to 30 people at a time during various meetings, and houses industrial appliances suitable for such numbers, she said.

The figures come in the wake of an interview last Friday in which Archbishop Martin urged the Government to develop a robust national poverty strategy. He also urged people to mind their money.

"We would all be happier if we were a little bit more austere in our lifestyle. I think there is room for a lot of improvement," he told Pat Kenny on the 'Late Late Show'.

Waste

"Nobody is in favour of waste, throwing food away or spending on things that are absolutely useless. If we learn some of that it will be for the good of all of us."

While originally built as a residence for archbishops of Dublin, the archbishop's house is now primarily used for office and meeting purposes.

It contains office accommodation for the archbishop and seven other diocesan personnel.

The building also provides meeting facilities for a range of Church meetings, conferences and events and is an important diocesan resource.

Archbishop Martin and his immediate predecessors have occupied two rooms -- a bedroom and a study -- for their private use.

A spokeswoman confirmed that significant work was required on the downstairs area, which is over 100 years old.

"Kitchen and toilet facilities date back over 30 years and were in very poor repair and no longer in line with current health and safety standards," she said, "A complete overhaul . . . was required."

"Work on the ground floor began at the end of last year. The cost for this work is around €200,000," the spokeswoman added.

The overall cost to date of renovations over four years was €500,000.


The Independent - Print Article

Mayhap, but in all fairness Con. Archbishop Martin is one of the very few Prelates in Ireland today who would seem to be on top of the clerical sex abuse issue. I don't, for one, begrudge the guy a modern bathroom.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Three decades as a Vatican diplomat ... 500,000 euros including almost 80,000 euros for a top of the range miele kitchen. I love the implication he cooks for himself.

Just to put this in perspective, the church agreed to pay 128million out of the goodness of their hearts and have yet to even come near paying the amount they agreed to pay.

The archbishops' renovations cost approximately the same amount as the compensation owed to 56 survivors.

[Nipper]

I think this All just shows opennes and cooperation from the start would have been the honourable thing to do. As the won't admit who the guilty are then people will assume all are guilty

[jtd]

Both the guilty religious orders and the secular priests. Remember that the Dublin report is due soon, and if the rumours are true it will make the report just out seem tame.

The dublin commission has had full disclosure of documents, so it might paint a much more vivid picture of what happened. The secular priests don't have indemnity I believe?

But returning to the OP, stripping the church of it's assets because of the actions of a minority of the secular priests is never going to happen. However the congregations could be feasible targets.

[jtd]

I still think the church should pay every penny, they have assets and bank accounts bigger than any other organization in the world

I would tend to disagree, the state has some responsibility as well. Obviously it is shouldering far more than it should, and both the government and the bishops conference are questioning this. The religious congregations don't seem to be listening though.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Renovations to archbishop of Dublin's palace cost €500,000 - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie