Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

It may be appropriate to have a dignified commemoration of this State but the commemoration of 1916 is not a time to have it. The most important thing that happened in 1916 was that a republic was proclaimed but in my opinion nowhere in Ireland today do we have any sense of this republic. Between sovereignty, people's rights and partition we need a new republic and we should take this opportunity to re-imagine the republic. Part of what the Government should be doing is to encourage this type of conversation.

I commend the committee, comprising mostly relatives of the leaders of the 1916 rising, which has campaigned to secure the future of Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street. I cannot think of a state in the world where the last place such leaders met is now a derelict shop. Where Pearse gave the surrender note to the British Government is not marked. Thomas Clarke's shop is covered with a plastic piece of neon sheeting. All of this is absolutely obscene. I cannot think of any other place where this would be allowed to happen.

The business of establishing a special consultation group is a good step but it has met only once. There is no clár or schedule. There is no notion of what will happen. Does the Taoiseach expect to be able to bring forward a plan - and when does he expect to do so - whereby this great event in our history will be commemorated? There is a need for the Government to seize the initiative on the development of a freedom quarter, a liberation quarter, cúinne na saoirse or revolutionary quarter in the precincts and environs of the GPO.

See this speech in context