Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer the Deputy to Priority Question No. 60, to which the Minister, Deputy Michael Ring, replied.

The Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, already recorded in this House her sincere appreciation to the members of the group for the report, entitled The Moore Street Report - Securing History, the group presented to her at the end of March.

The Moore Street consultative group, which was independently chaired by a former departmental Secretary General, included local and Oireachtas political representatives, 1916 relatives, street traders and other stakeholders. It was set up in a bid to bring together the full range of views on the matter. In this regard the group reviewed numerous presentations and submissions from a range of interests, looked at a variety of official and other reports, interviewed relevant public officials and other experts, and examined a large body of work from within its own membership. That extensive programme of work culminated in the series of recommendations contained in the report.

The Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, welcomes the fact the report is seeking a way forward based on consensus. She believes its recommendations can help breathe new life into the area, which Deputy Joan Burton attested to as well, while at the same time retaining its sense of history and tradition. In addition to its particular association with the 1916 Rising, there are other relevant aspects of the street and surrounding area that also need to be taken into account, including the range of State, public and private property holdings and ownership and, of course, the presence of the street traders themselves who do so much to give the area its unique ambience and place in the life of the capital city.

The report has looked carefully at all these elements and the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is pleased that it signals the potential for a mutually successful outcome to be agreed between the relevant parties, balancing the perspectives of all the key stakeholders. The Minister is fully supportive of this collaborative approach and she wants to see the work already done being continued in order that we can progress to the next stage and see tangible results on the ground.

Critical to this has been the establishment of the new advisory group that the report itself identifies as the most effective way to move forward with its recommendations.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister has now proceeded with the setting up of this group under the chairmanship of Dr. Tom Collins. The group has already met and embarked on the task of looking at how best to implement the recommendations.

I am happy that this ongoing process represents the best approach to achieving an optimal outcome for the Moore Street area. This will involve extensive discussion, negotiation and agreement with, and actions by, a variety of public and private bodies. The process is being supported by my Department and I am looking forward to seeing positive outcomes from the interactions between the various parties.

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