Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her good wishes and look forward to working with her.

As the Deputy is aware, revised designs submitted by the owners of the national monument at Nos. 14-17 Moore Street for the restoration of the monument buildings and the creation of a commemorative centre to the leaders of the 1916 Rising on the site were approved by my Department on 30 April 2014. Previously, in July 2013, an order of consent was signed that approved the commemorative centre proposal and the full repair and conservation of the monument buildings. However, consent was refused for the demolition of any structures or the removal of material from the site that dated from or before 1916. Any plans for an underground car park within the boundary of the national monument and for the demolition of the Moore Lane facades of Nos. 15 and 16 were also ruled out. The July 2013 consent was conditional on revised project designs being submitted to my Department that took full account of the elements of the proposal for which consent had been refused and the conditions attached to the approved works. The revised designs were received in March of this year and, following consultation with interested parties and a full assessment, were approved on 30 April 2014, subject to a number of new conditions.

The decision made on the revised designs will, I believe, secure the future of one of the most important sites in modern Irish history. The accompanying conditions will also ensure that the restored buildings will, from day one, have a standard of finish and appearance that befits their historical importance.

I understand that NAMA has approved funding for the proposed works to the national monument and it is now a matter for the monument owners to progress the project.

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