Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have discussed this matter in the past. Obviously everybody would like us to have appropriate centenary celebrations in 2016. A number of features in our capital city need to be attended to, including the military archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks, the courthouse in Kilmainham Gaol, the GPO itself and, as the Deputy mentioned, 14-17 Moore Street, which I have referred to as the lanes of history, right up as far as the Rotunda, or the site of the actual surrender on the pavement a short distance away from that.

The plans for the development of Moore Street were submitted prior to the construction crash. As has been pointed out on a number of occasions, this has actually allowed some more time for reflection on the best approach in this case. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is very interested in the matter as a citizen, never mind as a Minister. He is chairing the committee dealing with the appropriateness of the centenary celebrations. I know that a number of serious elements are involved in this. The Deputy can take my word for it that we are interested in seeing that Dublin, which was the centre of the 1916 Rising, would have a number of features decided upon to allow us to be in a position to commemorate those events appropriately in 2016.

I recently viewed a video of plans for Moore Street and the surrounding area and there are a number of elements attached to this, including Dublin City Council, the Minister, NAMA, developers, owners and so on. I am quite happy to work with the parties through the Minister and his committee to see that we do the right thing in the interests of having an appropriate centenary celebration in 2016. In the past I have had to advise people from abroad that the site of 14-17 Moore Street is not at the moment what one would expect if one were to go to look at the location where the first fledgling steps towards economic and political independence were taken. It is not the kind of place to which we can send people with pride at the moment. I hope we can deal with that in a sensitive, understanding and comprehensive fashion in the time ahead.

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