Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

While the Minister of State’s proposed extension is welcome, it is entirely inadequate. In his response, the Minister of State never once mentioned the people of Dublin and the people of Ireland whose park this is. Instead, he spoke about development which includes retail. Why does the Phoenix Park need retail? It is our premier environmental and ecological gem. Is the Minister of State proposing that it will be turned into some kind of shopping centre for a visitor experience for people stepping off cruise ships? People around the park do not want that. We want artisan cafés which employ local people and use Irish products. We do not want large multinational companies dominating the significant tourism offering of the park. Neither do we want it to cancel out the rights of Dubliners and the rest of the country who use the Phoenix Park.

The Minister of State will know some of the many songs associated with the park such as the “Zoological Gardens” and what one is likely to see at certain times. The Phoenix Park is famous in Irish history. The Magazine Fort restoration has been under way for several years. I hope the Minister of State will manage to get the regular input of funding to restore this magnificent fort to be on a par with some of the French forts which people may be familiar with from their holidays.

I am a little concerned that the Independent Alliance has a bias against Dublin’s north and west sides, feeling that we are not posh enough for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, who is sitting beside the Minister of State. We value our park and we want consultation on its development. He will get nothing but positive input from the residents’ associations in Castleknock, the North Circular Road and Oxmantown Road.

See this speech in context