Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Ar dtús, gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Costello as ucht an ábhar tábhachtach seo a thógáil ar an Athló anseo tráthnóna.

The Government fully appreciates the historical significance of these buildings as the site of the last military actions of the leaders of the 1916 Rising following the evacuation of the GPO. No. 16 Moore Street, where the final council of war is believed to have been held, was the final headquarters of the Provisional Government which included five of the Proclamation signatories - Pearse, Connolly, Plunkett, Clarke and McDermott. Their courage and self-sacrifice laid the foundations for the establishment of the Irish State. The Deputy will be aware that plans to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising were discussed during Leaders' Questions on Tuesday. The Taoiseach who has visited the Moore Street monument site outlined his intention to establish before Easter a consultation group on the commemorative programme for the centenary celebrations in five years time. He indicated that membership of the group would extend beyond the Oireachtas to ensure it had a full understanding of the background and environment surrounding these momentous events. As he noted, this is an opportunity for the Oireachtas to be a party to sensitive and appropriate commemoration of the events of 1916 and consider the preservation and protection of the national monument in a sensitive and responsible way.

As far as 14-17 Moore Street are concerned, in January 2007 the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a preservation order on the buildings under the National Monuments Acts. The order was made on the grounds that 16 Moore Street was a monument, the preservation of which was of national importance by reason of its historical significance. The purpose of the order is to ensure the preservation of 16 Moore Street in the context of wider redevelopment proposals centred on the former Carlton Cinema site. To achieve this objective the order also covers 14-17 Moore Street and includes the yards to the rear of 15 and 16 Moore Street, extending to 8 and 9 Moore Lane. The effect of the order is that works affecting these properties, including any excavation or ground disturbance within, around or in proximity to them, require the prior written consent of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under the National Monuments Acts. The Minister is statutorily obliged to consult the director of the National Museum as part of the consent process. It is an offence for anyone to damage, injure, remove or carry out, or cause or permit work affecting the monument without the Minister's written consent.

An Bord Pleanála has made a decision to grant permission, with conditions, for a mixed development on the former Carlton Cinema site which includes the Moore Street monument. That permission in no way supersedes the preservation order in place and the consent of the Minister will still be required in accordance with section 14 of the National Monuments Act 1930 for any works affecting the area covered by the order. While consent has been given by the Minister from time to time for minor works to protect and maintain the fabric of these buildings, to date no application for consent related to the proposed major development has been received. The proposed development of the site, in accordance with the permission granted by An Bord Pleanála, envisages the retention of 14-17 Moore Street and, subject to Ministerial consent under the National Monuments Acts, to 16 Moore Street becoming a commemorative centre. This also accords with the objective of the Dublin City Council development plan to have the building in museum use.

In summary, the protection of 14-17 Moore Street as a national monument is secure and in place. The Deputy can be assured that the appropriateness of any proposed works affecting these buildings will be carefully considered in the light of all relevant factors and recommendations if and when a development related consent application is submitted for approval.

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