Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

— looks forward to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, a landmark in the history of the people of Ireland;

— recalls that in January 2007 the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a preservation order on Nos. 14-17 Moore Street, Dublin, under section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930, on the grounds that the buildings are of national importance by reason of their historical significance as the final headquarters of the 1916 Provisional Government;

— acknowledges the hard work of the relatives of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation of Independence in raising public awareness of the importance of these historic buildings and this historic area of our capital city, and in securing the designation of the national monument;

— views with serious concern the deterioration of the national monument which has languished in a vacant and neglected state for many years and the potential threat to the monument under a current planning application;

— resolves to ensure that the 1916 National Monument at Nos. 14-17 Moore Street is fully protected and preserved in its entirety as designated and that the surrounding buildings, streets and laneways are retained in such a manner that the potential to develop this area into a 1916 historic-cultural quarter can be fulfilled; and

— calls on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to act without further delay to ensure the full preservation of the national monument and to develop a plan to transform the GPO-Moore Street area into an historic quarter and battlefield site so as to protect and preserve the 1916 National Monument and the associated streetscapes and laneways, thus greatly enhancing our national heritage and tourist potential in our capital city as we approach the centenary of the Easter Rising.

I wish to share time with Deputies Ferris, Ó Caoláin, Troy and Browne.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I am honoured to open this debate and formally move the Sinn Féin motion. This is an historic motion as it is the first time the Oireachtas has held a full-scale debate on the national treasure that is Moore Street. I welcome the families, friends and supporters of the heroic men and women of 1916, who are present with us here this evening.

The GPO, Moore Street and the laneways between it and O'Connell Street form the most important battlefield site in modern Irish history. This area must be fully protected, carefully preserved and sensitively developed as a cultural quarter. That is why Sinn Féin has tabled this motion and has sought the support of all Deputies. The motion calls for "the 1916 National Monument at Nos. 14-17 Moore Street [to be] fully protected and preserved in its entirety as designated and that the surrounding buildings, streets and laneways are retained in such a manner that the potential to develop this area into a 1916 historic-cultural quarter can be fulfilled".

This is not about gaining or losing political points. The fact is we all need to remind ourselves how much we owe those men and women who, almost a hundred years ago, defied a powerful empire and proclaimed the Irish Republic. The motion calls on the Government to ensure an area which is steeped in Irish history is developed as an historic quarter and battlefield site in time for the centenary of the Rising. I would urge all Deputies who have been elected by the citizens of Ireland to support this call from the relatives of the 1916 leaders.

The condition of Nos. 14-17 Moore Street is nothing short of disgraceful and is an insult to the memory of those men and women whom we should honour. We owe it to the men and women of that period not to disregard their reputation and memory by destroying a building so closely associated with their struggle. During a tour of the battlefield site in July 2010, the current Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore stated: "Our commemoration of 1916 should not just be a token flag waving commemoration, but it should be real, and I think there is an obligation on the State to respond positively to the relatives of the 1916 leaders to go with this project." I would hope the Tánaiste's views on this issue have not changed since then.

The relatives of the 1916 leaders campaigned diligently for Nos. 14-17 Moore St. to be designated as a national monument. In January 2007 they succeeded when the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a preservation order on Nos. 14-17 and the land and buildings to the rear under section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930. The order was made on the grounds that the buildings are of national importance by reason of their historic significance as the final headquarters of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic.

I have no doubt that this historic terrace would have been demolished at the height of the Celtic tiger but for the vigilance and the campaigning of the relatives and their supporters in all walks of life in Ireland. This historic terrace, which witnessed the fires of Easter 1916, has seen the Celtic tiger come and go and still survives, yet it is still under threat.

Time does not allow me to go into the complex planning history here. Suffice to say, the proposed plan of the developer would effectively destroy the national monument, leaving only a mere facade which would be engulfed in a large scale edifice. The development would also obliterate the streetscape and built fabric of one of the most historic areas of the city, both in terms of its association with the events of Easter 1916 and its architectural heritage. The developer intends to invade and build on 60% of the area covered by the national monument order. This would see the buildings gutted and excavated and the demolition of the terrace on either side of them. When it was announced in 2006 that national monument status was to be granted, it was generally believed that after a widely supported campaign, the historic buildings would be fully preserved and converted into a centre honouring the men and women of 1916. It came as a shock to many that the go-ahead was given for a development that will effectively destroy these buildings.

The relatives here today are totally opposed to the planned development of Moore Street by developer Joe O'Reilly, who has been seen as a member of the golden circle and who is currently in NAMA. It is important to point out that this developer has only conditional planning permission. The grant of permission is conditional on a number of requirements. Crucially, this includes the consent of the Minister for work to the national monument, the provision of a 1916 element, separate statutory consents and financial contributions to the city council. It is evident that ministerial consent in this application is being sought solely for the purpose of facilitating the commercial interest of a NAMA developer. Clearly, the Minister should refuse this consent. He should not allow the national monument to be encroached on or interfered with in any way. He and his colleagues in government should look to the importance of this site and its great potential.

Moore Street is of extreme importance, not just to the people of Dublin or the people of Ireland, but also internationally. This area has huge educational importance for the people of Ireland. This was the final headquarters of the republican forces during the final hours of the Easter Rising. It was in this building that James Connolly lay wounded as the Provisional Government held its final meetings. Also present were his fellow members of the Provisional Government - Padraic Pearse, Joseph Plunkett, Thomas Clarke and Seán Mac Diarmada. These five men were amongst the 16 executed leaders of the 1916 Rising.

As Deputies are aware the area of cultural tourism continues to hold huge economic potential. This motion clearly calls on the Government to invest in cultural tourism. The entire Moore Street area is rich in history and would act as a fantastic attraction for visitors from home and abroad. An area of such significance both historically and educationally should be restored and protected, not only for the people of Ireland but for people all over the world. The question all Deputies must ask is in what state this national monument will be come 2016. Will it be neglected and under threat as it is today? Will it be a shell, engulfed in a shopping mall or will it be preserved and cherished, forming a centre-piece for the centenary of the 1916 Rising and a major cultural asset for our capital city for decades to come?

There are two options facing all Deputies here tonight. Option one is to vote against this motion and vote in favour of the Government amendment and, possibly, allow the destruction of one of the most historic sites in Ireland. In taking that option, we as elected representatives would be turning our backs on our history to favour a NAMA developer. Option two is that we as a country acknowledge the huge sacrifice that those brave men and women made in 1916 and pay tribute to their cause and realise the educational and historical importance of Moore Street and the surrounding lanes. It is that we, as elected representatives, make the right choice. I urge all Deputies to honour and pay tribute to the men and women of 1916 and vote in favour of this motion as it stands.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the relatives of the men and women of 1916 here tonight. The fact that the buildings at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street are under renewed threat due to deterioration, despite the 2007 preservation order, is a cause for concern. For that reason, it is important that the broad support in this motion for both the building and the surrounding district to be preserved in a fitting manner is heeded. I hope the Government accepts the motion in the spirit in which it is intended and does not oppose it.

The part of Dublin where the rising took place ought to have the same status as similarly important historical places in other cities. It is somewhat of an indictment of this State's preservation of the memory of 1916 that there is no physical centre that can be visited in order to absorb some of the atmosphere of the time. Of course, the GPO remains as it was then as the central post office and as a vibrant working centre and those in charge of the building do an excellent job in maintaining some physical connection with Easter 1916, through the paintings inside the building and a small exhibition area. However, while that is commendable, I believe a dedicated centre needs to be built and that the buildings on Moore Street would fulfil that purpose, particularly as they are currently both unused and in disrepair.

There is great potential in the idea of developing the area into an historical and cultural quarter that would not only help to preserve the historical memory of what took place there, but would also attract visitors interested in our history. At present, much of that is left to private individuals who conduct walking tours. While that is most commendable, and I am certain that the tours are both informative and popular, there ought to be solid physical evidence of what took place in those streets. Perhaps Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street could be used to form the centre of that, with a heritage centre built up around them. Such a centre and the creation of such an historical and cultural heritage area would not have to be exclusively devoted to what took place at Easter 1916. That general area of Dublin has been of historical and cultural importance for centuries and the centre could become the focus for all of that. The initial key for that however needs to be positive action to ensure the premises in Moore Street do not fall into further disrepair and that such disrepair is not used as an excuse to pull them down to make way for whatever those behind the latest planning application have in mind.

This brings us to the reason the buildings are under threat in the first instance. It is perhaps ironic that the last headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising should have come under threat from the speculators who have ensured that much of the leaders' vision for the Republic declared in Dublin at Easter 1916 has not been fulfilled. The Proclamation that was posted at the General Post Office on 24 April 1916, referred to the interests of the Irish people being paramount and to the right of the Irish people to the ownership of Ireland. Unfortunately, what we have seen in this State, particularly over the past 30 years, has been a new usurpation of that right, not by a foreign occupier, but by a rapacious native class of parasites.

Much of the reason for the current crisis facing this State was not, as some would like people to believe, the exorbitant wages allegedly paid to nurses, teachers and fire fighters, but the criminal incompetence and greed of a small minority of financial and property speculators. Of course they were not alone and, unfortunately, unlike the men and women inspired by the vision of the Republic, those parasites found only too willing accomplices among the so-called political elite in this State. As the Mahon and Moriarty tribunal reports prove, significant sections of the political class, from local authority councillors right up to the Cabinet, were willing to collaborate with the speculators. Some of the by-products of that were the lunatic ventures, land deals and speculative plans foisted on the people of Dublin and other parts of the country. Indeed we have not yet been told the full extent of the corruption that went on outside of Dublin.

The plan for Moore Street was one of those lunatic ventures, although it appears to have been halted temporarily by the collapse of the speculative bubble and its banking arm several years ago. The original developers are currently under the auspices of NAMA. However, this makes it even more important to act now to ensure the site is preserved and that the plans for a cultural and historical centre which I believe would have the support of the people and elected representatives of Dublin can proceed.

The danger is that if by some chance the current planning application is approved and the current owners are then enabled to sell their currently encumbered property holdings the plan could be resurrected and the site damaged or even obliterated. The only way to ensure that does not happen is if the Minister acts as called on in our motion and ensures the full preservation of the buildings as a national monument. Once that occurs further steps can be taken to progress the longer term and broader idea of developing Moore Street and the surrounding area as an historical and cultural zone, with all the benefits I referred to earlier in terms of it becoming an historical and educational resource and a major tourism attraction.

Given that the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, is from the same county as me it would be remiss not to mention one of the heroes of 1916. On Friday, 28 April, with the GPO on fire, the O'Rahilly volunteered to lead a small party of men in search of a route out of the GPO to Williams and Woods, a factory on what was then called Great Britain Street and is now Parnell Street. A British machine gun at the intersection of Great Britain Street and Moore Street caught him and most of his party. The O'Rahilly slumped into a doorway on Moore Street, wounded and bleeding badly, but soon made a dash across the road to find shelter in Sackville Lane, now O'Rahilly's Parade. In his attempt to find shelter he again exposed himself to sustained fire from machine gunners.

It is often mooted that 19 hours after receiving his wounds on Friday evening and long after the surrender took place on Saturday afternoon, the O'Rahilly still clung to life. The specific time of his death is difficult to pin down but we can be more precise when it comes to understanding his final thoughts. Despite his obvious pain, he took the time to write a message to his wife on the back of a letter he had received from his son. In this last message to Nancy, which Shane Cullen has etched into a limestone and bronze sculpture, he wrote:

Written after I was shot. Darling Nancy I was shot leading a rush up Moore Street and took refuge in a doorway. While I was there I heard the men pointing out where I was and made a bolt for the laneway I am in now. I got more [than] one bullet I think. Tons and tons of love dearie to you and the boys and to Nell and Anna. It was a good fight anyhow.

The Minister and I should be proud of our fellow Kerryman.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Yes, indeed.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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He is a man I commemorate every year along with Eddie Carmody, who was also from Ballylongford. It would be an awful indictment of the Minister and his Government if they failed in their responsibility to protect the great legacy of the men and women of 1916 and their courageous and determined efforts to bring about a real Republic that would do justice of all the people of Ireland, cherish the children of the nation equally and exploit our resources for the common good of our people.

I draw the Minister's attention to a letter he received from the family of Major General Joe Sweeney, who was prominent in the events of Easter week. He fought inside the GPO and was one of those who helped to carry James Connolly on a stretcher through the houses to a makeshift hospital on Moore Street. As the Minister will be aware, the family has expressed disappointment at not being invited to the recent commemoration ceremony at Arbour Hill and I ask the Minister to ensure that the oversight is rectified in following years. The family is very proud of its connection to the momentous events of the time. I urge the Minister to do the right thing by the Irish people and support the motion.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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In his last letter before his execution in Kilmainham Jail on 8 May 1916, Eamonn Ceannt wrote, "In the years to come Ireland will honour those who risked all for her honour at Easter in 1916". How do we honour those who risked and gave all in 1916? We do so primarily by seeking to fulfil in our own time the promise of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, which asserts Irish sovereignty and seeks real equality. As political parties and Independent Deputies with differing political outlooks we frequently disagree about how the promise of the Proclamation is being fulfilled but we should be at one in ensuring that our people and future generations have full access to the heritage of the Easter Rising of 1916 not only in the written word and the physical legacy of the buildings and the streets where our history was made but also in the realisation of the dream of those who wrote the Proclamation, our charter for freedom.

Kilmainham Gaol stands today as one of the best preserved and most visited historical buildings in Europe. If not for the dedication of a group of citizens this sacred place would have fallen into ruin and been erased from our capital city. A group of volunteers, many of whom had fought for Irish freedom, banded together and through voluntary work and campaigning ensured that the prison was saved and turned into a museum. Only then did the State step in. There is an exact parallel with the national monument on Moore Street. The dedication of the relatives of the 1916 leaders and those who supported them in their campaign over many years has ensured that 14-17 Moore Street has been saved thus far from the bulldozers. Unfortunately, however, the last headquarters of the 1916 leaders has come far closer to demolition than their place of execution in Kilmainham. It should not be necessary to stress the importance of this site. The layout of the streets and lanes around the GPO, Moore Street and Parnell Street which witnessed the events of Easter 1916 remain largely as they were at the time, even though most of the buildings have been demolished in the intervening period.

Remarkably, Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street and the terrace of which they form a part remain intact, albeit only just. They have survived the fires and bombardments of the Rising and the Civil War. Ironically, they were under greater threat during the era of the so-called Celtic tiger. What a disgrace it would be now, as we prepare to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising, if these buildings were to be undermined, encroached on and engulfed in a shopping centre. The motion before the Dail has the support of 50 Deputies. I thank them for their support and urge all Deputies to put aside party differences and support this motion.

The motion has two inextricably linked elements. First, it resolves to ensure that the 1916 national monument at 14-17 Moore Street is fully protected and preserved in its entirety and as designated. Second, it resolves that the surrounding buildings, streets and laneways are retained in such a manner that the potential to develop this area into a 1916 historic and cultural quarter can be fulfilled. The motion is addressed to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan. It is up to the Minister and the Government to decide whether the developer can go ahead with his plan because any development affecting the national monument at 14-17 Moore St. requires the Minister's formal consent under the National Monument Acts.

I regret to say that in responding to this motion, and in the amendment tabled in the name of the Minister, the Government has taken a narrow, minimalist approach which gives no real assurance that the national monument will be fully protected and preserved in its entirety and as designated. Our justifiable fear is that the Minister and his Department are inclined to the false view that the developer's proposal would preserve the national monument. In a letter of today's date the Minister's adviser states that the plan would retain what he describes as all structurally viable elements of the existing buildings. The developer intends to build upon 60% of the site covered by the national monument. The buildings as they stand will be gutted, there will be excavations beneath them and the terrace on either side will be demolished, all in the context of a giant shopping mall. So much for the alleged plan of the developer to develop a commemorative centre at the national monument. Clearly, the first element of the motion, the preservation in full of the national monument cannot be fulfilled if the Minister approves the developer's proposed work on and around the site. Equally clearly, ministerial approval of the plan would be inconsistent with the second part of the motion, the retention of the surrounding buildings, streets and laneways in such a manner that the potential to develop an historic quarter can be fulfilled. For these reasons, we cannot accept the Government amendment. It represents a minimalist approach and a lousy position as we approach the centenary of the Easter Rising 1916.

It may be argued by some voices in Government that refusal to give the go-ahead to the developer risks the State being sued. However, the Planning and Development Act 2000 states that any development that would materially affect a protected structure or proposed protected structure is a development in respect of which a refusal of permission will not attract compensation. The same Act gives as a reason for the refusal of permission, which excludes compensation, "the proposed development would injure or interfere with a historic monument which stands registered in the Register of Historic Monuments under section 5 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act". The developer in question is insolvent and in NAMA, a State agency with a direct responsibility to the people of this State. Does the Government seriously hold out the prospect of a busted developer on a NAMA life support machine suing the Minister for fully protecting a national monument? I think it most unlikely.

The likelihood is that the current developer may never build the proposed shopping mall but, with full planning permission and ministerial consent to get his way with the national monument, he may - with the approval of NAMA - sell on the site to some other developer who would do so. This would be the worst possible outcome.

The Minister and the Government need to get a grip. They need to take control of the situation. The planning saga has been going on since August 1999. Through that time there has been a massive and unsightly void on the main street of our capital city. One of our most important national monuments has been decaying and under threat and an historic quarter of Dublin, with massive potential to enhance our heritage, has been allowed to deteriorate as it languishes in a planning limbo.

larraim ar gach Teachta tacú leis an run seo. larraim ar an Rialtas an leasú a aistharraingt. An bhfuilimid chun a rá leis an bPiarsach: "Mo chlann féin do dhiol a máthair"?

The Government should withdraw its amendment. It should support the substantive motion tabled by Sinn Féin, with the support of other political parties and Independent Members. The Minister should refuse his consent. He should enter dialogue with all stakeholders - the 1916 relatives, all property owners in the area and not just the developer, the local authority Dublin City Council, the National Museum and other relevant State agencies. The aim should be to come up with a new plan to fully preserve the national monument and to develop the historic 1916 quarter in time for the centenary of the 1916 Rising. Let us hope we all live to see that achievement and celebrate the tremendous legacy of the brave men and women who fought and asserted the right of the Irish people to their freedom and national rights but who also lit a beacon that many nations the world over have since emulated.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Looking at the history of the area, the Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter week 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798. Organised by the military council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Rising lasted from Easter Monday, 24 April to 30 April 1916. Members of the Irish Volunteers, led by schoolteacher and barrister Pádraig Pearse, were joined by the smaller Irish Citizen Army of James Connolly, along with 200 members of Cumann na mBan. This rising was where our forefathers fought for Irish freedom and an Irish Republic and willingly gave their lives in the name of their country.

That is why we are in the Chamber as we approach the centenary of this most significant event in our relatively young history. It is imperative that we support the motion, which resolves to ensure that the 1916 national monument at 14-17 Moore Street is fully protected and preserved in its entirety as designated and that the surrounding buildings streets and laneways are retained in such a manner that the potential to develop this area into a 1916 historic cultural quarter can be fulfilled. The motion calls on the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to act without further delay to ensure the full preservation of the national monument and to develop a plan to transform the GPO and Moore Street area into an historic quarter and battlefield site to protect and preserve the 1916 national monument.

I compliment Sinn Féin on tabling this Private Members' motion and for seeking the inclusion of signatures from Members of other parties and those of none. It is important that no individual or political party attempts to hijack this issue for political purposes. Our national heritage is too important for party political games. By all Members supporting this motion, Dáil Éireann can show the country it is serious about giving the Easter 1916 centenary the respect and commemoration it deserves.

This issue has been ongoing for many years now and with every passing year this historic location is falling into further neglect. Looking at the chronological sequence of events over the years, it is worrying that such an historic location did not receive the recognition it deserved. Many questions remain unanswered in that regard but that is for another day. We can not change what has happened but we can learn from previous mistakes. We must move forward this project in a positive way without delay. I was pleased to be present at the meeting of the Oireachtas committee when the Save 16 Moore Street campaigners made a presentation outlining the group's realistic proposals for this area. I compliment the group on its longstanding dedication to the cause. The Save 16 Moore Street group is seeking the protection of national monument status of Nos. 14-17 Moore Street against the encroachment of new property development. The group is also calling on the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, to protect and preserve the 1916 Moore Street terrace and buildings, streets and laneways linked to the 1916 Rising and to facilitate a 1916 cultural and historical quarter.

In 2007, the Fianna Fáil Government brought in a preservation order to protect these sites. However, a much wider area needs to be considered. There is a requirement to protect the buildings comprising Nos. 32 and 33 Henry Street. An appeal by An Taisce has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála. One wonders at some of these assessments when the architectural heritage assessment claims no records exist of any historic event associated with the buildings, despite the clear evidence that they were occupied by Volunteers during the 1916 Rising.

This country does not need another shopping centre. We need to protect our culture and our heritage. I ask the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to refrain from making any decision regarding the approval to build on the historic site of Nos. 14-17 Moore Street, pending an independent battlefield assessment as recommended by the director of the National Museum of Ireland. I encourage the Minister to engage with all relevant parties, with NAMA and the various interested parties and to do as the motion calls on him to do. In doing so, the Minister and the Government will have the full support of this House.

The restoration of Kilmainham Gaol was completed in 1971. Apart from the significant cultural benefits this restoration afforded our country, it is also a major tourist attraction, seeing annual visitor numbers rise from 275,000 in 2009 to 285,000 last year. I ask the Minister to retract his amendment to the motion in order that this House can collectively support the motion.

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I support the Sinn Féin motion which is supported by Fianna Fáil. The commemoration of the Easter Rising and the importance of Moore Street is an issue of national significance. I hope when the vote is taken tomorrow, the House will not divide on this issue. In 2007, the Fianna Fáil Party in Government introduced a national preservation order to protect the site. All sides have strong views about the need for this important site to be given the recognition and respect it deserves. The centenary of the 1916 Rising is a source of immense pride for this country and it is essential the campaign to preserve and protect the national monument at Moore Street continues to be an entirely cross-party campaign.

I come from Enniscorthy in County Wexford and I grew up on stories of Seamus Rafter, Thomas Weafer, Liam Mellowes and all the various people who were involved in 1916. Henry Gough, a local historian, wrote in his book, Proclamation, about the significance of Enniscorthy in the 1916 Rebellion. It was one of the few areas outside of Dublin that rose to support the colleagues in Dublin. Pádraig Pearse visited Enniscorthy to address the troops and to rally them to ensure their support. We grew up on the history of 1784, 1798, 1848 and 1867. Henry Gough wrote it was little wonder that the spirit of 1798, nurtured by folk memories and oral tradition and kept alive by the Young Irelanders and the Fenians, should be reawakened at the foot of Vinegar Hill and that the rebellion in Wexford, Enniscorthy in particular, during Easter Week was the most significant event outside of Dublin.

Deputy Ferris in particular will know that every year Enniscorthy Town Council holds its Easter commemoration ceremonies in the morning and Sinn Féin holds its commemoration in the afternoon. The Liam Mellowes commemoration is held on the Sunday nearest to 10 December and the Fianna Fáil commemoration is held in the morning while the Sinn Féin commemoration is held in the afternoon. I hope that between now and 2016, we could come together in Enniscorthy to hold one significant commemoration.

Even before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Enniscorthy Town Council invited the now Deputy Gerry Adams to come to the celebrations in the morning. He was unable to attend but the now Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness came instead. Prior to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Deputy Adams was invited to a hurling game between Tipperary and Wexford in Belleville in Enniscorthy when I was chairman of the club and prior to him speaking on Vinegar Hill. Enniscorthy has a history of leading the way in the area of peace and harmony and I hope Enniscorthy and Wexford will not be forgotten when the Minister is organising the 1916 celebrations.

We are speaking about the significance of Moore Street and I wish to remind the House of the significance of Enniscorthy. The Government is not up to speed with regard to the commemoration of 1916. County Wexford 1916 Bicentenary Trust Limited was set up in 2006. It is a cross-party committee that is now preparing the way for the 2016 celebrations. From the experience of how the 1798 Rebellion was celebrated, I know the committee will do justice to the memory of the men of 1916 who fought the good fight. Etchingham was to the fore and the Enniscorthy Echo is still going strong. It was one of the very few newspapers to support the Rising in 1916. The Minister comes from a strong and proud tradition in County Kerry. I ask him to ensure 1916 is celebrated in the way it should be and also that the Sinn Féin motion supported by Fianna Fáil and other political entities, will be accepted by the Government in the spirit in which it was tabled. I ask him not to divide the House so that we can go forward together as Wexford did when celebrating the 1798 Rebellion and which it will do again with the Wexford 1916 Bicentenary Trust Limited.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I move amendment No.1:

To delete all the words after "Dail Eireann" and substitute the following:

"---looks forward to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising and the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, a landmark in the history of the people of Ireland;

---recalls that in January 2007 the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a preservation order on Nos. 14-17 Moore Street, Dublin, under section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930, on the grounds that the buildings are of national importance by reason of their historical significance as the final headquarters of the 1916 Provisional Government;

---acknowledges the hard work of the relatives of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation of Independence, and all other campaigners, in raising public awareness of the importance of these historic buildings and this historic area of our capital city, and in securing the designation of the national monument;

---recognising the historical importance of the national monument at Nos. 14-17 Moore Street, welcomes the Minister's assurance that the monument is fully protected under the National Monuments Acts and that any development affecting it requires his formal consent under those Acts; and

---notes that the Minister will take full account of the role of the monument in the 1916 Rising in relation to any such consent application."

I wish to share my time with Deputies Arthur Spring, Patrick O'Donovan and Michelle Mulherin. I welcome the families of the 1916 leaders and I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this motion. I have met representatives of the families, some of whom are in favour of this development and others who are opposed to it. I have met them at a meeting of the joint committee and I have visited the site. I am very familiar with both sides of the argument.

The Government's motion contains much of the substance and spirit of the original motion but better reflects the parameters of my functions under the National Monuments Acts with regard to the national monument at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, and the factors I can take into account in making a final decision on proposed works at the national monument site.

At the outset, I want to state unequivocally that the buildings at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street are robustly and comprehensively protected as a national monument under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts. No change can be made to the buildings, internally or externally, without my express consent. I can assure the House that I am fully committed to the preservation of the national monument and that I would not countenance any works which would impair or harm such an integral part of Ireland's history.

The 1916 Rising was a seminal event and a fundamental turning point in the history of the Irish people - a catalyst to a chain of events that would culminate in the creation of our Republic. The actions and self-sacrifice of the men and women who fought for Irish freedom in Easter Week 1916 laid the foundations for the establishment of the Irish State. It is the reason we are in this House this evening.

The national monument at Moore Street has particular significance in the story of 1916 as the location of the last military actions of the leaders of the Rising: Pearse, Clarke, Connolly, Plunkett and MacDermott. I am acutely aware of my responsibility as the Minister charged with the protection of this monument and I can assure the House that I am deeply committed to that role. Indeed, I feel privileged to bear this responsibility in the run-up to the centenary of the events of 1916, being deeply cognisant of the central role that the national monument at Moore Street played in the events of 1916 and, therefore, its importance in the upcoming centenary celebrations.

Against that background, I want to join in paying special tribute to the relatives of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation and the other campaigners who have managed to raise public awareness of the historic buildings on Moore Street. Their hard work and commitment has ensured that there is a national monument there today. But for them, what is now a national monument could have been demolished under planning permission granted in 1999 that would have allowed this to happen. It was their efforts that led to the preservation order being placed on Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street in January 2007 - a decision with which I fully concur.

The preservation order means that no works affecting these properties can start without my prior written consent under the National Monuments Acts. However, it is important to note that the national monument is not State-owned; it is privately owned, as is the surrounding development site. The current development proposal for the former Carlton cinema site, which includes the monument buildings on Moore Street, began its journey through the planning process in April 2008, after the preservation order had been put in place.

The development finally received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála in March 2010. An Bord Pleanála's decision in 2010 took full account of the preservation order and the need for ministerial consent to be obtained under the National Monuments Acts before any works on or to the national monument could take place. Indeed, the board went further in also requiring a full archaeological appraisal of the entire development site and the preservation and recording of archaeological materials or historical features within it.

In addition, it requires a detailed project proposal to be prepared for the purpose of featuring and interpreting the historic significance of critical locations along the insurgents' evacuation route from the GPO to Moore Street. These would be issues to be addressed by the developer with Dublin City Council in the context of the overall development of the site.

In June 2011, I received an application on behalf of the developers for consent under the National Monuments Acts relating to Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street. I want to categorically re-state that there are no proposals within the application before me either to demolish - or pull down, as Deputy Ferris said - these buildings. Neither is it the case that only the facades will be retained. The fact is that as much as possible of the internal and external structures are being retained.

The proposal is for Nos. 14 and 15 to house the main functions of a commemorative centre, while No. 17 would accommodate a specialist bookshop and other facilities for visitors. Meanwhile, No. 16, the most important and iconic building, would serve as the focal point of the commemorative centre.

There have been calls, echoed here this evening, for the national monument at Moore Street and the surrounding streetscape to be recognised as a historic battlefield and for it to be preserved as a historical or cultural quarter. This is a completely and entirely separate issue to the consent application for Nos. 14 to 17, that is currently before me under the National Monuments Acts. It is not clear how a battlefield site project could be developed in light of the existence of an extant planning permission. This permission was granted by An Bord Pleanála, the independent body set up by the Oireachtas to adjudicate on planning consents where disputes arise as to whether or how developments should or should not proceed. The permission was granted after comprehensive input from all interested parties to both the City Council and An Bord Pleanála, and in full light of the existence of the preservation order.

Notwithstanding that the wider area is not part of the current consent application, nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that Moore Street and its surrounds have not remained static since 1916. Much of Moore Street itself dates from after 1916. A great deal of alteration to buildings on the street has also taken place in the meantime. For example, in so far as the terrace containing the national monument is concerned, Nos. 1 to 7 were built after 1916. The buildings at Nos. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 22 to 25, inclusive, all also date from after 1916. I think this was pointed out by Deputy Ó Caoláin.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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No.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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In fact, Nos. 24 and 25 are a relatively newly built apartment block with a depot for the City Council's refuse collection service to the rear. Within the terrace, the monument buildings themselves, Nos. 14 to 17, which are protected under the National Monuments Acts, are by far the most intact surviving buildings from the period of the Rising. My immediate remit in this case, and the application currently before me, relates to those buildings. I assure the House that I embrace and acknowledge their unique historical importance and character. I endorse everything that has been said by campaigners about the need to preserve and protect them and I assure the House that I have no intention of allowing them to be put at any risk whatsoever.

I think we can all also agree that the present appearance of the national monument buildings leaves much to be desired. I am acutely aware of the imminent approach of the 1916 centenary celebrations and of the critical need for this massively important historical site to be brought up to a standard befitting the occasion. Time is rapidly running out if this goal is to be realised and it is my intention to make a decision on the consent application as soon as the necessary deliberations and consultations have been completed. I am currently in contact with the National Museum of Ireland and I will be bringing the matter back to the Oireachtas All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations as soon as possible to update its members on developments.

I wish to assure the House that in considering and making any decision on the application for consent before me on Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, my first, foremost and prime concern will be to arrive at a determination that will best serve the long-term preservation and protection of the national monument itself, and the commemoration and remembrance of the epic period and personalities associated with it. In that context, I will take on board all the advice and guidance I have received, including during this debate, for which I am extremely grateful.

I wish to remind Deputy Ferris that I am very much aware of the O'Rahilly family and am a personal friend of Prionsias Ó Rathaille, the grandson of The O'Rahilly. In Listowel next Monday evening, I will be introducing a lecture on Alfred O'Rahilly who was The O'Rahilly's first cousin. I am also aware of the Shouldice and Mulvihill families' connection to the 1916 Rising; all of them were from north Kerry. I am therefore very much aware of the historical context.

I have a quasi-judicial function concerning the national monuments site. I cannot accept the Sinn Féin motion because it would prejudice, and be seen to be prejudicial to, the exercise of my statutory function. I want to point out clearly to all parties in this House that there is no issue between us as regards the protection of this national monument.

In response to Deputies Troy and Browne, I would point out that it was unfortunate that when this site was being designated by the then Minister, Dick Roche, that he did not include the battlefield as well. At that time there was no planning on the site and, therefore, no restrictions on him. It was unfortunate that an informed debate such as the one we are having tonight did not happen prior to that because the site could have been designated totally at that time as a national monument. While there is not a current planning application on the site, the fact that there is planning on it is a consideration for the battle site.

I sincerely thank Sinn Féin for raising this matter tonight. It is important that we have a very good discussion on it and I hope it will take place in the proper spirit. At the end of the day I will have to make a decision but I will be informed as much as possible before I make it because I realise how important it is.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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On a point of order, the Minister suggested that I made some reference to the date of other buildings in the Moore Street area. I did not, either tonight or at any time in the past. I do not know what is his source for that

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I thought I picked that up from the Deputy's statement.

Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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It is important to preserve those places and buildings that are vital to our country's heritage. No. 16, Moore Street is one such vital place that could do with being restored. When walking along Moore Street, many could be unaware that they were walking past the site of the final council of war of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. The building is in a dilapidated state and does nothing to commemorate what took place there.

Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street are currently on the record of protected structures in the Dublin City Council development plan and are protected as national monuments under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is being asked to determine an application for consent which would restore, preserve and enhance these buildings in the form of a commemorative centre. The Minister is only tasked with determining the changes to the national monument and not the surrounding area. The commemorative centre would promote No. 16 as the focal point while Nos. 14, 15 and 17 would be used to house other functions such as a book shop and a cafe. No. 16 would be conserved with minimal alternations made so as to maintain the true character and spirit of the site for those who visit.

Sinn Féin's proposal would acknowledge the importance of the area but it would do little to move forward any project on No. 16, Moore Street before 2016. This is the crux of what we need to achieve tonight, namely, to put the attention and focus on having this restored to a place of heritage and celebration before 2016. The former structural glory of these buildings, which is not of architectural importance, is not what is at issue here. The national monument at Nos. 14 to 17 must be recognised and celebrated for the role it played in 1916. I do not wish to celebrate the bloodshed and the killing of men and women that took place; I wish to recognise the principles for which the people of the 1916 Rising stood, and I believe those principles are true for the majority of us in this House tonight.

I came across these buildings when I was a student in Dublin. Many students go to Moore Street to buy fruit and vegetables, and meat in the butchers shops. A good friend of mine, Alan Bradshaw, a historian from Dublin, pointed out that those derelict buildings were of national importance. I could not believe it when I saw them and was informed about them. They are dilapidated, in an appalling condition and do nothing to celebrate the people, the culture or their legacy. I know the Minister, Deputy Deenihan, to be a man who is very passionate about heritage. It is not because he found himself in this role as a Minister at point in time; it is a subject on which I have heard him speak from my early days of watching him as a politician and it is also one in which he has a personal interest. I believe he will do the right thing.

There was some talk of the facade of the building being preserved and the rest of it being demolished. That is not the case. I do not believe that anybody here who would allow that to happen. With no disrespect to Deputy McLellan, the possibility of it being destroyed or demolished is not something any of us would countenance on this side of the House. We need to be as objective about it as we can be. I do not think that any political party should try to grab hold of this issue

The relatives of the 1916 families who are in the Visitors Gallery have played an enormous role in this, on which I commend them. I think that we can celebrate this cross-party and cross-county. It is ironic to note that every Deputy who has spoken on this motion so far comes from the four corners of Ireland and not from Dublin. For those of us who come from 1916 families who were involved in Rising, we look forward to celebrating it, to recognising the roles that people played but also to a brighter future for the country. We need to not only dwell on the past, but on the principles for which the people of 1916 strove and we need to re-evaluate our principles and look forward on that basis.

The GPO is a building of enormous importance. I have brought visitors from all over the world to see it and it does not do justice to what it is. It needs to be more than a general post office that is in operation in that it needs to be celebrated. O'Connell Street also needs to be celebrated. We need to get rid of every chipper on the street and celebrate it as the main street and thoroughfare of the capital of Ireland. If we could get that street upgraded to a level where it is of tourist importance and the heritage site on Moore Street was recognised for what it is, that would only make things better for Dublin - those who are not from here would like to celebrate that. I commend Sinn Féin and the Opposition on recognising what is important tonight.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I also welcome the presence of the Minister and the relatives of the leaders of 1916 Rising in the Gallery, whom I was fortunate to meet at a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage, Transport and the Gaeltacht. I will not repeat what has been said but it is important this issue is not politicised because all parties in this Dáil come from the foundation stone that was laid in 1916.

The Minister's commitment to heritage is obvious and I welcome the response he gave to the motion. I come from that part of the world from where Con Colbert, who was associated with the 1916 Rising, came. This is not only a Dublin issue, it is very much a national issue.

While I agree with a great deal of what has been said, there is a bigger context to this, namely, the total destruction of the north side of Dublin city centre from O'Connell Street out. It is not only Moore Street, which is main part of this motion. What Dublin City Council has allowed to happen to the main thoroughfare of our capital city during the past 20 or 30 years is a scandal. Where were the councillors when decisions were being made to turn the largest and one of the finest boulevards in the world into a monument of neon, plastic and tack and the surrounding three or so blocks around O'Connell Street? Where was the Dublin City development plan in this context? This is the same Dublin city development plan that was adopted recently and we found we had a massive problem with regard to a site for the national children's hospital. Yet the council could allow the destruction of the Georgian and Edwardian Dublin to the scale where the principal locations of where the 1916 Rising was fought has been shrouded by plastic and neon. It is a scandal to think that at no stage did Dublin city councillors, of any party, say that enough was enough when these development plans were being adopted. I found it embarrassing when, along with a colleague, Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, I stood facing the GPO during the 1916 commemorations in O'Connell Street a few months ago and noted that to my back there was nothing but plastic and all sorts of rubbish, for want of a better word, that has no place in the main street of any capital city, let alone a street that is of such historical importance as O'Connell Street.

What has happened in Moore Street is symptomatic of what has been allowed to happen to the entire north side of Dublin. It begs the question that if the 1916 Rising had happened on the southside, would we be even having this argument. We probably would not. That needs to be said. In fairness, the area has been very badly treated. I pull no punches when it comes to An Post either because, as Deputy Ferris said, one has to go rooting around to find the memorabilia that commemorate the 1916 Rising.

When one contrasts what we have in Dublin with sites such as Gettysburg, Antietam, Waterloo and anywhere a struggle for independence or battle took place one can see how successive management teams, council teams and governments have failed Dublin city centre. I am not from Dublin but this is of huge significance to me . What we allowed happen on O'Connell Street permeates outwards. With great aplomb we erected a monument to the Celtic tiger, namely, the Spire. It is a soulless characterless piece of metal dumped in the middle of O'Connell Street. It draws one's eye up to the top of it but what does one get then? One's eye returns to earth fairly rapidly with an anticlimactic "well, what was that about?". It is typical of what the Celtic tiger years did to the country. Perhaps consideration might be given to naming it after a certain politician who served the constituency of Dublin Central with such distinction.

I welcome the Minister's proposed amendment to the motion. I congratulate Sinn Féin. I can be very critical of Sinn Féin when I need to be, but in fairness it is an absolute scandal that we are even discussing in the Dáil what we have allowed happen to Georgian and Edwardian Dublin and to buildings with architectural significance never mind historical significance. Rural Deputies will know that some fellow from the local authority will come out to plank a preservation order on a bunch of rocks and stones with a bit of thatch on top of them. We have allowed the main street in our capital city to be turned into something like the sea front facade of a resort in the south of England. What Dublin City Council has allowed to happen is a scandal. Will the Minister, at the earliest opportunity, arrange for the manager of Dublin City Council to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht so he can put forward a plan for this national thoroughfare because what the local authority has allowed to happen is an absolute disgrace?

Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I must disagree with Deputy O'Donovan because I really like the Spire and I am not from Dublin. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I like seeing the rain trickling down it. However, this is not pertinent to this debate as it is art as opposed to what we are discussing.

I welcome passion for remembering and commemorating our history, the people, the decisions they made and the events which epitomise our struggle for the freedom we enjoy to self-determine as a people, not that we must all agree but that we have this freedom. Using bricks and mortar is a limited means to do so but is the only way we can state what happened mattered to us as a people, that it is significant now and will continue to be significant so long as we are a nation.

To take a slightly different tack, as the Minister stated when he spoke so earnestly, this monument is a protected structure and he does not intend any destruction to it. The condition it is in is not desirable for such an important place but we have a statutory process which we should not sidestep. The Minister has been approached by people who are for and against the proposed development which has planning permission. The statutory process came about through the Parliament, which has its roots in the 1916 Rising which occurred at a time when there was a state of chaos in the country and people wanted a stable society with respect for law and order and rules and to be able to self-determine as a people in a parliament. According to the statutory process the Minister must deliberate, consult and consent or not, and he should be allowed to do so because this is what the law states. We should not sidestep this no matter how much passion we have. I have full confidence in the Minister.

With due respect to Sinn Féin which tabled the motion, in the Seanad it has tabled amendments to the Statute Law Revision Bill to abolish the Offences against the State Act which criminalises activities detrimental to the security of the State. Sinn Féin tells people to break the law by not paying the household charge. This does not fit because we are parliamentarians. We work through the system and democracy is burdensome and requires much work, but it means dialogue and I believe Sinn Féin appreciates dialogue at this point.

I do not want to go over the detail and the real significance of this, which has already been mentioned by other speakers, but I am delighted plans are afoot so we may see something done with this monument by the time we commemorate 1916. There are ways and means to commemorate. It does not mean having exactly the same as what was there before and I will give an example from a rural area close to where I live. A stone cottage from the townland of Carradoogan near Attymass near Ballina in County Mayo, which was left derelict because of mass emigration, is now part of the Irish Hunger Memorial in Battery Park, Lower Manhattan not far from where the World Trade Center stood. It was taken stone by stone and reconstructed in Battery Park. While it is not in its original place, it is nonetheless a testament to all the people who suffered during the famine and through emigration, and more people get to see it in its current location.

With regard to the buildings on Moore Street, any development should be done respectfully, taking on board advice from museums, archaeologists and other experts so the buildings have due respect and credence as the national monument we want them to be. I respect the process that must take place. The Minister is aware of the seriousness and sensitivity required for the right decision to be made with regard to having something in place by the time of the commemorations in 2016.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I call Deputy Michael Kitt who is sharing time with Deputies Brendan Smith and Éamon Ó Cuív.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the motion tabled by Sinn Féin. What struck me most about the representations I received in recent weeks was the fact that many people stated many historic buildings and places in this country have not been recognised and many of them are under threat. I found this hard to believe. I read through some previous debates from the Dáil and Seanad, including a debate in which I took part in the Seanad in 2004 when we discussed amending the National Monuments Act. During the debate we discussed the battle of Aughrim and the battlefield mentioned by the Minister when speaking on this motion. I welcome what Sinn Féin is doing through this motion because these issues are part of our history and heritage and we should have more debates on national monuments.

As has been stated, when in government Fianna Fáil introduced a national preservation order on Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street which declared the buildings were of national importance by reason of their historic significance. Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú made a very strong case in the Seanad with regard to the buildings. No. 16 was the last place of refuge for the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. They were forced to abandon their GPO headquarters and take refuge there in what were to be the last hours of the insurrection. Leaders including Patrick Pearse, James Connolly, Joseph Plunkett, Sean McDermott and Thomas Clarke took refuge in this house on 29 April, the day before the unconditional surrender by Pearse. Under this preservation order, Nos. 14-17 Moore Street would be afforded the same status and protection as a priceless historical structure. One article I read compared it to Newgrange.

In 2007, the then Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. Dick Roche, said: "In the decade leading up to the centenary celebrations of the 1916 rising it would be unconscionable for the Government not to close any potential legal loophole which might result in the loss or destruction of a national monument such as No.16 Moore Street to future generations." It is regrettable for this building to have a neglected or vacant appearance. Earlier the Minister spoke in positive terms about his concern. I hope that there will be agreement between all involved - An Bord Pleanála, Dublin City Council and the Save No. 16 Moore Street Committee - on the idea of developing there with a conservation plan for the historic site. The committee, whose members include relatives of the signatories of the 1916 and whom I welcome to the debate, has done much to raise public awareness of the importance of this historic address. Members of the committee have made presentations on a number of occasions to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and they have highlighted their campaign once again. I look forward to exploring with the Save No. 16 Moore Street Committee how this area of Dublin can be developed in a balanced manner that respects the historical significance of the site.

I ask the Minister to act without further delay to ensure the plan to transform this site with the full preservation of the national monument is carried out. The Minister mentioned the battlefield site, which is certainly important. It will greatly enhance our national heritage and the tourist potential in our capital city as we approach the centenary of the Easter Rising. Many of us received representations from a French art historian and museum professional who talked about having this building in its place beside Kilmainham Gaol as a top attraction in the guidebooks, which is something to which we should all look forward.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am very glad to have the opportunity speak in support of the motion before us tonight urging the Government "to act without further delay to ensure the full preservation of the national monument and to develop a plan to transform the GPO-Moore Street area into an historic quarter and battlefield site". The motion is signed by some 50 Members of the House. The signatories to this motion come from differing political backgrounds and viewpoints. These are Deputies who might not agree on much - in recent weeks we have been in deep disagreement on some important issues facing the country, notably the stability treaty - but on this issue we are at one.

I have no doubt many Deputies on the Government side of the House feel equally strongly on this issue and would happily sign this motion if they had the opportunity. This need not and should not be a cause or an opportunity for political point scoring across the House. The issue is not whether we believe in preserving and protecting this site. I believe there is near unanimity in this House on that. The issue is about demonstrating the clear and absolute resolve in achieving it.

The clock is ticking on this issue. While some may comfort themselves thinking the 1916 centenary is almost four years away, that time will pass quickly. Deputies should bear in mind it is already more than five years since Mr. Dick Roche as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government placed a preservation order on Nos. 14-17 Moore Street under section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930. I suggest we do not have four years, or anything like it, to resolve this matter. It is vital to get this matter resolved positively and speedily as we are entering a decade of important and significant commemorations for communities and traditions both North and South. For republicans and Nationalists the Easter 1916 commemorations will be the high point of that decade of commemorations, but there are other commemorations in that decade that are of considerable importance to our island as a whole. These include the signing of the Ulster Covenant, the 1913 Dublin Lockout, and the formation of the Irish Volunteers.

The Moore Street site is only a short walk from the Rotunda Hospital where the Irish Volunteers held their first meeting in 1913. The former Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, set the tone for this decade of commemoration in a speech to UCD's Institute for British-Irish studies in May 2010:

The events of the decade between 1912 and 1922 were momentous and defining ones for all of the people of this island, and indeed for these islands. This was the decade of the covenant and the gun, of blood sacrifice and bloody politics, a time of division and war, not only on this island but across the world. It was the decade that defined relationships on these islands for most of the last century.

The Minister, Deputy Deenihan, chairs the Government committee that is tasked with co-ordinating and choreographing many of these commemorations. That decade has already commenced. Last April saw the anniversaries of the foundation of the Ulster Volunteers and the publication of the third Home Rule Bill. As the year progresses the Minister and his officials will increasingly find themselves engrossed and focused on the range and variety of commemorations. That is why it is vital the issue of Nos. 14-17 Moore Street is resolved and acted upon now. My fear and the fear of many of us in Fianna Fáil is that the longer the protection of the Moore Street site is delayed, the less of the historic site will be left to protect and preserve.

The Government must act now. This is not a matter of questioning or doubting the Minister's commitment to the aim, but rather one of requesting that the Minister and his officials show greater resolve and determination to finalise the issues quickly. We are aware there are complications and differences of opinion. We also realise there are varied interests and the Minister's powers are limited. The Minister's leadership is needed to progress this important issue. The laneways and streets surrounding Moore Street are some of the most historic in the nation. They are among the last remnants of the battlefield that part of Dublin became during the Easter Rising.

The Moore Street buildings we are discussing tonight are where the leaders and defenders of the first Provisional Government retreated from the burning GPO. It is where, on 28 April, the leaders of the rebellion decided to surrender. Moore Lane still contains some buildings and cobblestones from the period. This is where the fight continued as the 300 men of the GPO garrison sought to make it to safety in the Moore Street buildings while under fire from British guns. Many of the original Easter Rising buildings no longer exist. The former Liberty Hall is gone. Having been so heavily shelled and attacked, the GPO is now effectively a reconstruction. The building, where the Proclamation was signed by Tom Clarke, Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly, Sean MacDermott, Joseph Plunkett, Thomas MacDonagh and Eamonn Ceannt, no longer exists. The site is now marked by a tarnished and hard to spot plaque on the outside wall of a store on Henry Street. It is from 16 Moore Street that Pearse sent Cumann na mBan nurse, Elizabeth O'Farrell, under a white flag, with a note for General Lowe stating he wished to surrender. Nurse O'Farrell subsequently carried Pearse's instruction to surrender to Boland's Mills and Jacob's factory.

I am very glad to have had the opportunity to make a short contribution on this important motion.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tá áthas orm go bhfuil deis agam cupla focal a rá faoin ábhar seo agus tacaíocht a thabhairt don rún seo. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go ndéanfaimís cuimhniú ar na láithreacha a bhí lárnach do Éirí Amach 1916. Mar a dúirt an Teachta Brendan Smith, tá go leor den Stát atá againn anois bunaithe ar aois na ndaoine a chuaigh amach i 1916 ag iarraidh saoirse a bhaint amach don tír seo. Is minic a smaoiním ar an argóint atá ann scaití idir an féinriail agus an phoblachtánachas a bhí mar chroílár an Éirí Amach. Tá sé tábhachtach a rá gurb é mo bharúil dá mbéadh rogha saor ag pobal na hÉireann ag aon am ó lár na naoíú aoise déag ar aghaidh, dá mbeadh reifreann saorcheart ann, go roghnóidís poblacht seachas féinriail. Is ceart dúinn a aithint freisin, go raibh tionchar nach beag ag an Éirí Amach ar shlánú na Gaeilge agus gur ar éigin go mbeadh an Ghaeilge mar atá sí i láthair na huaire sa tír murach an Éirí Amach. Ní léir domsa go mbeadh aon stát seachas poblacht sásta an Ghaeilge a cur mar chéad teanga oifigiúil ar an Stát agus tús áite a thabhairt di ar an gcaoi sin. Tá ceantar fíor-starúil againn i láthair na cathrach, idir Ard Oifig an Phoist agus Sráid Uí Mhórdha agus na lanaú timpeall uirthi, agus is ceart iad a chaomhnú mar aonad. Molaim go mór an obair atá déanta ag daoine go deonach, ag iarraidh an cás seo a bhrú chun cinn. Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil gach uile taobh den Teach seo ar an tuairim go mba cheart beart a dhéanamh anseo. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil scéal sách casta ann, ach má chuireann gach aon duine le chéile is féidir éacht a dhéanamh. Níl sé i bhfad ó shin ó rinne éacht maidir le láthair Chath na Bóinne. Má bhíothas in ann é a dhéanamh dó sin is féidir an rud céanna, agus níos mó, a dhéanamh le comóradh a dhéanamh ar an Éirí Amach. Mar sin, tá mé cinnte go mbeadh tacaíocht ag an Rialtas ó gach uile thaobh den Teach má thugann sé faoi séadchomhartha náisiúnta ceart a dhéanamh thart ar an gceantar sin le go mbeadh daoine a thiocfadh anseo ó ar fud an domhain le ceiliúradh agus comóradh a dhéanamh ar an Éirí Amach in ann a fheiceáil cár tharla na heachtraí móra i stair na hÉireann. Le fada an lá, tá mise ag tathaint go bhfuil go leor spáis taobh istigh d'Ard Oifig an Phoist chun chuid mhaith den láthair sin a thabhart ar láimh le haghaidh músaem náisiúnta na saoirse a chur inti. Má thagann cuairteoir, stráinséar nó turasóir go Sráid Uí Chonaill, is aisteach nach ndeirtear leo cad é Ard Oifig an Phoist. Tá beagáinín de thaispeántas ann ach níl aon rud mór ann. Tá go leor taiscí ag Ard Músaem na hÉireann. Le haghaidh 2016, ba cheart músaem náisiúnta na saoirse a lonnú in Ard Oifig an Phoist ionas nuair a thiocfadh cuairteoirí ag iarraidh a fháil amach céard a tharla ann go mbeadh scéal na saoirse ar fáil ansin, ní hamháin scéal an Éirí Amach ach scéal iarracht phobal na hÉireann saoirse a bhaint amach. Tá Ard Músaem na hÉireann anseo i Sráid Chill Dara, tá cuid eile de thíos i gCaisleán an Bharraigh agus cuid eile i mBeairic Uí Choileáin, ach an áit go mba cheart na séadchomharthaí a bhaineann leis an Éirí Amach agus leis an troid ar son na saoirse, ag dul i bhfad siar go 1798, ar fad a gcoinneáil is ea Ard Oifig an Phoist, agus ba cheart cuid den bhfoirgneamh a chur in oiriúint dó sin. Molaim go mbeadh sé sin mar chuid de rud i bhfad níos mó, is é sin an moladh seo maidir leis an láthair i Sráid Uí Mhórdha.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil náire agus díomá orm go bhfuilimid go fóill ag caint faoin ábhar seo. Ba cheart go mbíodh plean gníomhaíochta againn blianta ó shin. Dá mbíodh, bheadh ionad stairiúil againn anois, agus slí stairiúil ó Ard Oifig an Phoist go dtí Sráid Parnell.

It is very disappointing that we are still talking about the historical area from the GPO to Parnell Street and all the places associated with the Easter Rising. Every Government from the foundation of the State has neglected to make a fitting memorial there to the men and women of the Easter Rising. Indeed, it could be said that each Government and the local authority have allowed all of the sites associated with the various battle scenes of the Rising to become derelict and, in some cases, allowed them to be demolished. Kilmainham Gaol could have been knocked down by a developer some years ago only for the actions of a dedicated group of people who worked to preserve it. It is now one of the most visited sites in Dublin, with excellent guides.

One can see the efforts and manoeuvres that have gone into almost bringing about a similar fate for the area of Moore Street. I acknowledge the relatives' group and its trojan work to keep this item on the agenda. I also acknowledge Sinn Féin bringing this debate to the Chamber. At the commemoration committee meeting today there was a proposal from a member for a 1916 Rising walking trail around the area, similar to the Freedom Trail in Boston. It would be mortifying to do that walk now, given the dereliction of the area. However, we are aware of its potential. The Minister and other Ministers have made the tour, as have other people, and I have been on it several times. We know that it could be a historical walk in a historical quarter with suitable preservation and conservation. There is a story at every step of that walk from the GPO, around to Parnell Street, where the surrender took place, and further up to the Garden of Remembrance and into Mountjoy Square if we wish to develop it.

We visit cities in eastern and western Europe and the places we visit there are the historical quarters. Even in economic terms, they are doing very well for the cities where they are situated. I live in East Wall and my journey, as a teenager, was from East Wall, along the GPO, through Moore Street, Moore Lane and O'Rahilly Parade to my secondary school, Mount Carmel in King's Inn Street. I felt privileged to do that walk. The walk should be preserved for other people. It is a battlefield site, commemorating a momentous historic event in our history which had far-reaching consequences. With regard to designating Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street as a national monument, it is currently a national disgrace. I have stood inside those houses and felt frustration at what was allowed to happen. However, I also felt very positive about what could be achieved, not just with Nos. 14 to 17, which is not enough, but the entire area. It suits some to focus on protecting Nos. 14 to 17. That is all very well, and I am sure it will be protected, but the entire area is a battlefield site.

Dublin City Council has many questions to answer about this, dating back to 1998 when the Carlton Group was given planning permission. Then there was a bizarre agreement between the council and Chartered Land in 2004. There was an issue of compulsory purchase orders and whether the councillors had a vote. They were ruled out of order when they tried to raise the matter as it was considered sub judice. There was an in camera meeting in November 2006, Supreme Court judgments and various toing and froing to An Bord Pleanála. In December 2010 and October 2011, demolition and alterations were carried out without permission.

The traders are another aspect of Moore Street which should be mentioned as they are part of that history and culture. I acknowledge the work of the late Tony Gregory in trying to preserve that. There is also the matter of Nos. 32 and 33 Henry Street and the preservation of Henry Lane. We have an opportunity to create a historical quarter and historical walkway in time for the centenary. The expression "tír gan teanga, tír gan anam" is well known but respect for and preservation of our heritage sites are also central to the soul of a country. I listened to the Minister talk about Nos. 14 to 17 but is it appropriate that this national monument, all alone, will be dwarfed by apartments, shopping malls, arcades and God knows what else the developer might put there?

I thank Deputy Nash for his concern for the north inner city. I also support Deputy Ó Cuív's proposal for a specific museum based on the Rising.