Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. I visited the Moore Street site about a year ago and I certainly believe the O'Connell Street and Moore Street sites, taken together, have real potential for tourism and also for our own history and heritage. I have discussed this matter with the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, and, ultimately, it will be his recommendation that the Cabinet will act on.

In regard to cultural resources, as the Deputy points out, we are ranked 29th overall in that particular pillar. This relates to many things, for example, the number of sports stadia per head, the number of world heritage cultural sites and the number of international fairs and exhibitions. While we scored very well in terms of sports stadia, for example, we only scored quite well when it came to international exhibitions, being placed in the top 26. With regard to the issue of natural resources and environmental stability, we came in 117th, which appears poor, although it is not an area we necessarily have much control over. When it comes to the number of world heritage natural sites or the number of species, for example, or terrestrial bio-protection and marine protected areas, much of the ranking is just down to the fact we are a small country and an island. There is nothing the Government can do to change the number of habitats and species we have in the State.

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