A Tipperary priest is calling on the Government to financially support clergy who have invested in providing online services during the lockdown.
With the Covid-19 restrictions varying between limited or no attendance at Mass many churches have opted to introduce an online option for parishioners.
Fr Michael Toomey is the Parish Priest administrator for the parishes of Ardfinnan and Newcastle.
He says the Government instruction for church services to move online they didn’t seem to take on board that this would cost money to do.
“The government have quite rightly supported businesses and other voluntary groups and agencies during this pandemic financially help them to keep them afloat and that’s right and proper.”
“They’ve told us in one line ‘go online and what they haven’t realised or perhaps envisaged is that does cost money. The service that we have here – which is an excellent service (churchservices.tv) – but it’s about €4,000 to €5,000 to set up.”
