Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The international protection Bill to which the Deputy referred has gone for pre-legislative scrutiny at committee. I met Mr. Justice McMahon recently at a function. He and his group have been working exceptionally hard on this matter, which is quite complex. The report is not completed yet but I fully accept what Mr. Justice McMahon has stated, that he will produce it as quickly as he can. I commend him on his efforts to date with his group.

The Minister for Health along with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has made some resources available which should ensure the fair deal waiting list is down to approximately four to five weeks which would be acceptable in all circumstances. The review will be presented by the Minister. I cannot give the Deputy an accurate date for it but it is his intention to deal with it.

The national monuments Bill is for publication later this year. With regard to the question on Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, it is a national monument. Attempts have been made to deal with the issue over the past dozen years, but it is not all within the remit of Government as the Deputy is aware, as it also involves Dublin City Council and various owners, planning permission, objections and court cases. I am glad to say it was possible, with the assistance of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to be able to purchase the site and put it in public ownership where it can be dealt with comprehensively as a national monument. This does not deal with the statutory responsibilities of Dublin City Council, planning authorities and the area around it, which is very important given the history of 1916 and what happened there. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will lead this and she will discuss how best to present what will become public ownership of Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, where the decision was made to effect a surrender, and how it will be made available for members of the public and visitors and in what format given that it is a protected structure and will be publicly owned as a national monument. The question of the battlefield is being discussed and I am quite sure the Minister will be willing to listen to propositions about it, but for now this is a clear decision in respect of Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, which is a national monument and is becoming a publicly owned national monument. I thank the very many people over the years who have consistently made the case that this is an important building and a seminal moment in Irish history. I am glad it has been possible for the Government to put it in public ownership and discuss how best it can be presented for the next 100 years as the location where those who rose and fought and were executed made the decision to end the 1916 Rising.

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