Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy McLellan, I have no problem whatsoever in meeting with the stakeholders. I have already had numerous meetings with them and the decision I came to was welcomed by the relatives of those involved in 1916 and indeed, was universally welcomed. I must repeat that the planning permission process is the responsibility of Dublin City Council. My role in this, as I have said many times in this House, is only to approve what the developer proposes for the site. The developer had a major plan for the site but it included demolishing some of the monument and building a car park underneath a section of it and I refused that. I am sure that Deputy McLellan agrees with that decision and would support me in doing that. Sometimes I am rather confused as to what people really want here. Are people playing politics or do they really want a solution? I hope it is the latter. I have no problem whatsoever in meeting any stakeholders, which I have done already, including members of Deputy McLellan's party.

On the issue of NAMA and Chartered Land, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl's party colleague, Senator Mark Daly asked Chartered Land, when it was making a presentation to the 1916 commemoration committee, if it could produce a letter from NAMA clarifying whether money is available to carry out the project. That was a number of months ago but the committee never received such a letter from Chartered Land. As far as I am aware, that was the only time Chartered Land was asked to come up with confirmation of a commitment from NAMA for the necessary funding to carry out the work.

Finally, in response to Deputy Mathews, I would love to have responsibility for all of O'Connell Street. The problem of dereliction on O'Connell Street has been with us for some time. It is not a new phenomenon but I hope that the centenary of 1916 will be the catalyst for a major upgrade of the street. Some very good work has already been carried out on O'Connell Street but there are some parts of it, because they are in private ownership----

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