Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The difficulty with this project is that it does not merely involve a simple question as to whether it is feasible to relocate the Abbey Theatre to the GPO building. If we receive a report which indicates that it is feasible to do so, the next question we must contemplate is whether we wish to proceed. I would welcome the views of other Members in respect of that matter. We want to find the best possible location for the Abbey Theatre. This must be a city centre location and, therefore, the GPO is an option. On the other hand, the GPO was a post office in 1916 and there is a great deal to be said for retaining it as such for the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in 2016.

On culture night I was struck by the hundreds, if not thousands, of people who visited the GPO to view the historical exhibits. There is a real sense of the place of that building in the history of the nation and I do not want anything to subtract from that. I am not stating that relocating the Abbey Theatre to the GPO would do so but we must certainly consider that aspect of the matter. There are historical, political and cultural elements which must be taken into account and these must be placed over and above the results of a study which might indicate that the theatre will fit in the GPO. Until I know whether it will fit and until I am fully briefed on all of the planning and legal issues involved, it will not be possible to make a decision. I would genuinely like to hear, either on a confidential basis or otherwise, the views of other Members in respect of where they believe the theatre should be located. This matter is not about me or my Department - it relates to one of the most iconic and significant buildings in the country.

See this speech in context