A campaign to save an ancient church and graveyard has highlighted the lack of funds available to safeguard monuments that are supposed to be under State protection.
Killaspugbrone church and graveyard at Strandhill, Co Sligo, is a national monument, listed in the Record of Monuments and Places.
Before work can be carried out on the site, an archaeologist must be present and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands must be informed two months in advance.
However, funding for essential works is not available from the Department because Killaspugbrone is not one of 750 monuments, out of a total of 120,000, which is in State ownership or guardianship.
This is the problem faced by the Killaspugbrone Preservation Project, a group of local people who are trying to save the graveyard from falling into the sea and the church walls from tumbling down.
After a four-year campaign, the only funding secured is a £10,000 grant from Sligo County Council and work is now starting on emergency repairs to the boundary wall to prevent further coastal erosion.
This sum is only a fraction of the total needed to safeguard the site and allow safe public access.
In recent years a fence has been erected around the church as its walls are leaning dangerously inwards.
Killaspugbrone, or the church of Bishop Bronus, is in a magnificent setting on a headland in Sligo Bay, with stunning views of Ben Bulben and Knocknarea.
The church dates from the 12th century although it is believed it may have been a religious site as far back as the fifth century.
The church was used up until the 18th century and burials continued until 1961. The danger from coastal erosion was highlighted last year when a number of remains were exposed and had to be reburied.
In recent years locals have revived a tradition of holding an annual Mass at the site.
Ms Rosaleen McMorrow of the preservation project said they were hopeful that, with work now starting, they would be able to access more funding.
The committee had to raise the money for the archaeologist's fees and also for a feasibility study in 1998. "We would love the State to take it over so it could be preserved and made safe for people to go in and walk around the church," she said.
The site is owned by Sligo County Council but heritage officer Ms Siobhan Ryan said money was not available. "There are a number of excellent heritage sites but the reality is that the money to undertake the work is not there," she said. She said she was helping the preservation committee with advice and support but it was up to them to decide how to pursue the project.
A small amount of money was available from the Heritage Council.
The 1998 study concluded that "the structure is not stable and although not liable to imminent collapse, it is likely to date significantly over the next 10 years".