Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the key question on Moore Street, raised by Deputies McDonald and Tóibín, there has been a lot of discussion between political parties in this House and various groupings over the past five or six years. My understanding was that a consensus had been arrived at between the various parties and members of parties. Prior to that, the State had intervened and purchased the key properties and declared them to be a national monument. That was proactive intervention by the State, which has not been acknowledged by Deputies McDonald or Tóibín in respect of Moore Street. That is an important point. That said, my sense is that there has been too much dereliction in that area for far too long. Quite frankly, I get the sense from the current Sinn Féin position that the party will not mind too much if there is dereliction for another ten years, if nothing happens again and we witness the continuing decline of the whole area, not just Moore Street but also the whole of O'Connell Street-----

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