Dessie Ellis (Dublin North-West, Sinn Fein)

Over the years, we have lost too much of our national heritage through disastrous developments such as the council offices on Wood Quay, built over a Viking village, or the destruction of the Georgian facades around St. Stephen's Green and Merrion Square because of dubious planning decisions. It was heartbreaking to see the conscious and deliberate destruction of the home of The O'Rahilly. We are not against progress, but we are against progress at all costs with no thought to its impact on what should be regarded as our national treasures.

Rather than seeking to preserve these national monuments, the Government seems intent on flogging them off to the highest bidder. Who could fathom that serious consideration is being given to a proposal that sites as historically significant as the GPO and Moore Street will be turned into what is basically a big shopping mall with office spaces? We have one opportunity to get this right, otherwise we will lose for ourselves and the generations yet to come what the National Museum described as the most important historic site in modern Irish history.

Governments have made many mistakes with regard to the preservation of our national heritage, but instead of learning from these mistakes the Government seems intent on replicating them. This quarter that encompasses the GPO and the Moore Street battle site is rich in the history of the Rising. Some of the most important events of the Rising occurred in these buildings and on the streets surrounding them. We still see evidence of the fight in the scars of battles on many of the buildings in the area. These buildings are culturally significant as symbols of the courage and sacrifice of the Irish people when facing the might of an empire.

The events that took place in the GPO and Moore Street were pivotal moments which ultimately led to the War of Independence and the fight for freedom. I am probably the only person in the Dáil who had two grandfathers who fought in the 1916 Rising. One of my grandfathers, Peter Doyle, fought in the GPO and on Moore Street with Pearse and Connolly. My other grandfather, Samuel Ellis, fought in Jacob's factory. For me, my family, republicans and others throughout the country, we see the Government proposals as a deep insult and desecration of their memory and sacrifice. These sites belong to them, the people and men and women who fought and died for Irish freedom.

To preserve these historic sites and honour the memory of those who fought in 1916, Sinn Féin has alternative proposals for the area surrounding the GPO, encompassing O'Connell Street and Moore Street. Such an area would include a living museum that would recreate the historical events of the area and provide visitors with a practical interpretation of the Rising. Such a development would revitalise the area, increase tourism and bring much-needed employment opportunities. The Government needs to designate the area as national monument to preserve the historical quarter. Otherwise, it is an exercise in destruction.

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