Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

The people of this State should not be surprised that the Government proposes to develop the historic GPO into a commercial centre for office and retail units. It should not be surprising because the Government, especially Fianna Fáil, talks out of both sides of its mouth. It talks about protecting our heritage and revolutionary past, yet despite promise after promise the Taoiseach has backed the big developers who intend to destroy Dublin's historic Moore Street.

Sinn Féin, along with others, including relatives of the heroes of 1916, has campaigned to develop a 1916 cultural and revolutionary quarter which would include Henry Street, Moore Street and the GPO. The centrepiece of this revolutionary quarter would be the buildings along Moore Street. The wealth of history in this area is astonishing.

I am a proud Dub and have spent my entire life in the north inner city. I have taken several tours. I advise the Minister of State to go on a tour with Liz Gillis. She outlines the forgotten history of the women of 1916 who refused to back down from orders to leave the GPO when it was burning after was bombed by the British army and how, when they left the wounded volunteers to go to Jervis Street hospital, they left under intense British fire along Henry Street and refused to stop until they got their comrades medical treatment. Elizabeth O'Farrell, despite intense British army fire, delivered the surrender on Moore Street after Pádraig Pearse and the volunteers tried and failed to break through the homes and businesses along the street.

Hundreds of people take tours of O'Connell Street every day, some specific revolutionary tours. These tours take place despite the fact this and previous Governments have presided over the neglect and dereliction of our main street and country. This shameful proposal to downgrade our revolutionary past is typical of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and it will not be tolerated by the proud republican people of Dublin.

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