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

My primary function in this case arises from the preservation order that was placed on Nos. 14-17 Moore Street under the National Monuments Acts in 2007 in order to protect No. 16 as the site of the final council of war and final headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. After extensive deliberations, ministerial consent was given to the owners of the national monument in April 2014 for the creation of a 1916 commemorative centre in the monument buildings, involving the full repair and restoration of the structures, both internally and externally.

Proposals that subsequently went before Dublin City Council late last year would have allowed the exchange of two modern 1990s buildings at Nos. 24 and 25 Moore Street, currently used as a cleansing depot, in return for full ownership of Nos. 14-17 being transferred to the city council. The transfer would have been accompanied by NAMA funding to cover the full cost of the restoration project and the construction of the proposed commemorative centre. I was disappointed that Dublin city councillors rejected these plans, which I believe provided a real opportunity to have the restoration work completed and the commemorative centre open in time for the centenary of the Rising in 2016.

Following the decision of Dublin City Council and in order to ensure the long-term future of the national monument, I secured Government approval for its acquisition by the State. This will bring the national monument into public ownership and will also facilitate the safeguarding and restoration of the buildings, and the development of the proposed 1916 commemorative centre to be run as a public facility. My Department is now engaged with the monument owners and other relevant parties with the aim of concluding the transfer of the property into State ownership as quickly as possible. My Department is also examining options for how best the restoration of the buildings for use as a commemorative centre can be effected, with a view to having it open to the public at the earliest possible date.

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