Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister will be aware, I have been calling on this Government for many years now to guarantee protection of the national monument, No. 14-17 Moore Street. I welcome the active steps pursued by the Minister in terms of its preservation by way of purchase of the buildings. All of those who have campaigned tirelessly for preservation of the full area will continue to insist that this be guaranteed. Can the Minister give that guarantee? The recent vote by Dublin City Council to prevent a land swap deal with the developers, Chartered Land, was a key step in ensuring its protection.

Nos. 14-17 Moore Street was the last headquarters of the provisional Government of the Irish Republic in 1916. Can the Minister guarantee that the surrounding battlefield site will be preserved in a way that is authentic and true to the area's history and character? The national monument will now be in the ownership of the State. This is to be welcomed. However, further details on its development are needed. Can the Minister outline what restoration plans are in place and confirm if any of the project be delivered by 2016?

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