Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is hard to credit that the Minister and her Government are standing over what is planned for Moore Street.

It is hard to grasp fully how utterly crass and ignorant is the approach. It is hard to credit that anybody with even a passing interest in or faint respect for the events of Easter week 100 years ago, for the women and men of that time but, perhaps more importantly, for the country and the citizens in the here and now, could promote a commemorative shopping mall on Moore Street because, when one strips it all away, that is what it boils down to. By the way, I have nothing against shopping malls. I probably need to put that on the record because the Tánaiste earlier today intimated that I might hurt the feelings of shopping malls by speaking in this way.

It is self-evident and blindingly obvious that what is happening here in this year with the Government's intention to vandalise our national heritage is a direct re-run of what was envisaged for Kilmainham Gaol. One should bear in mind that fine edifice and recognition of the history of our struggle for freedom would not be in its current state had it been down to the State or any Government in particular. No doubt at that time some might have thought it a bright idea to bulldoze that and erect a shopping mall. Fortunately, the National Graves Association did not let that happen. We see a direct re-run now.

It is astonishing in the commemorative year that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her crass and ignorant colleagues in government would insist on proceeding with this approach. She should do the right thing, at a very late hour but nonetheless. I believe the Minister would enjoy full support, not only of the Oireachtas but of the people, if she does the right thing.

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