There are fears more churches across Clare could be forced to close their doors outside of Mass times due to soaring energy bills.
Budget 2023 did not make any provision to assist the Church with its heating costs, though is providing a temporary scheme for businesses to avail of.
Fr Tom Ryan of Ennis Parish says the Church’s income locally has dropped by half since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
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He says without assistance, there may be buildings, particularly in rural areas of the county, that are forced to limit their opening hours.
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