Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Nos. 14 to 17 are the national monument and they are only still standing by the skin of their teeth. The Minister knows that what the Save Moore Street group, the relatives and I would like is to see that area as an historic quarter. If we look at the Venice Charter and apply that to Nos. 14 to 17, Moore Street, we can see that the monument there is more than a stand-alone entity. It has to be and is linked to the surrounding environment, and part of that environment is the historic laneways and terrace of Moore Street, which is also linked with the street trading tradition that is synonymous with Dublin and with the businesses there. It is interesting that there is a new and expanding restaurant business on Moore Street, the Paris Bakery, which is doing extremely well.

It is also linked to what could be the potential for housing while maintaining the facade of the terrace. The remit of an organisation like Habitat for Humanity is to go in and take over derelict buildings, so there is huge potential for the whole area to be preserved as a historic quarter in a way that is fitting and acknowledges the heroism and contribution of the men and women of 1916.

The point is that, at the moment, Nos. 14 to 17 are in a dilapidated state and that state is worsening all the time. The developer is failing in its duty to maintain the monument.

There is an onus on the Minister to take Nos. 14-17 into State care under the auspices of the National Museum. There are calls for an independent assessment of the site. This has been going on for a while. An archaeological report has been produced by the National Museum which we are still waiting to see.

The developer wants to develop the site. Nos 14-17 are included in that but the developer is in NAMA. Has the Minister had any discussions or is he planning to hold any discussions with the Minister for Finance? How can we find out about the NAMA accounts? I have been trying to discover what they are applied for. If they are in NAMA, how will they do this work? There are many dots that must be joined up but they seem to be getting further and further apart as time goes by.

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