Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the group of supporters who are there every Saturday gathering thousands of petitions to save the whole area and the whole terrace. The Taoiseach referred to the laneways around there as the laneways of history. They are in danger of also being destroyed under this plan. One has to question the practicality and suitability of the current plan which is for a massive shopping centre which will dominate the area and is totally unsuitable alongside Nos. 14-17 Moore Street as the national monument. It will also threaten the street trading tradition that has been going on there for centuries. I ask the Minister to use her powers under the National Monuments Acts to save those laneways and remove them from the planning application in the way that Nos. 14-17 Moore Street were removed. We are missing an opportunity to develop the area in an innovative way that will preserve and respect its historical and cultural significance. Do we need another shopping centre there? Clerys has closed and Boyers is about to close. Is our vision for that street another shopping centre?

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