A £1.2 million surplus from a fund set up to rebuild Tullamore, Co Offaly, parish church after a fire is be used for "the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion" in the parish, it was agreed by the High Court yesterday.
Last March, when a draft scheme for the use of the money was submitted, the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Costello, said some of the proposals seemed to go beyond the advancement of religion. A scheme had to be as near as possible to the original intention of the trust.
The matter had been adjourned until yesterday to allow the scheme to be re-examined.
Mr Brian Spierin, counsel for the trust, told Mr Justice Costello yesterday it was proposed to delete from the original draft provisions for educational services to the deprived, care for the elderly and young at risk and aiding the unemployed.
The main object of the scheme approved by the court is the provision of funds for the maintenance and repair of the Church of the Assumption, Tullamore.
Mr Justice Costello said he was not suggesting the trustees had acted improperly. On the contrary, it was marvellous they had produced the surplus.