Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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3. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of fact that the State undertook the preservation of the National Monument 14-17 Moore Street, if his attention has been drawn to the deteriorating condition of the monument; his plans to prevent further dereliction and dilapidation; and if he will support an immediate independent assessment of the condition of these historic buildings. [19567/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street are the subject of a preservation order under the National Monuments Acts. The effect of the preservation order is that any works affecting these properties require the consent of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, under section 14 of the National Monuments Act 1930, as amended. The landowner’s application to my Department for consent to proposals that include the provision of a commemorative centre to the 1916 Rising and its leaders on the national monument site is being examined.

As part of the consent process, the applicant was asked by my Department to provide an environmental impact statement in regard to the proposals for the national monument site. The public consultation period in regard to the environmental impact statement was extended because of the requirement for the applicant to publish a fresh public notice when the original notice was found to be deficient. The extended period ended yesterday. Following completion of the consultation procedures, I now intend to proceed as quickly as possible to undertake a formal environmental impact assessment, including consideration of the submissions received, and then to make a decision on the consent application itself.

My function in regard to the upkeep or maintenance of the monument, which is privately owned, is confined to considering any related proposals by the owners for which my consent must be sought under the National Monuments Acts. The monument buildings are included in the record of protected structures, maintained by Dublin City Council under the Planning Acts, which gives the city council specific powers of intervention that are not available to me. However, from time to time, my consent has been sought and given under the National Monuments Acts for necessary maintenance and repairs. This includes, most recently, essential stabilisation work on the building facades.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Nos. 14 to 17 are the national monument and they are only still standing by the skin of their teeth. The Minister knows that what the Save Moore Street group, the relatives and I would like is to see that area as an historic quarter. If we look at the Venice Charter and apply that to Nos. 14 to 17, Moore Street, we can see that the monument there is more than a stand-alone entity. It has to be and is linked to the surrounding environment, and part of that environment is the historic laneways and terrace of Moore Street, which is also linked with the street trading tradition that is synonymous with Dublin and with the businesses there. It is interesting that there is a new and expanding restaurant business on Moore Street, the Paris Bakery, which is doing extremely well.

It is also linked to what could be the potential for housing while maintaining the facade of the terrace. The remit of an organisation like Habitat for Humanity is to go in and take over derelict buildings, so there is huge potential for the whole area to be preserved as a historic quarter in a way that is fitting and acknowledges the heroism and contribution of the men and women of 1916.

The point is that, at the moment, Nos. 14 to 17 are in a dilapidated state and that state is worsening all the time. The developer is failing in its duty to maintain the monument.

There is an onus on the Minister to take Nos. 14-17 into State care under the auspices of the National Museum. There are calls for an independent assessment of the site. This has been going on for a while. An archaeological report has been produced by the National Museum which we are still waiting to see.

The developer wants to develop the site. Nos 14-17 are included in that but the developer is in NAMA. Has the Minister had any discussions or is he planning to hold any discussions with the Minister for Finance? How can we find out about the NAMA accounts? I have been trying to discover what they are applied for. If they are in NAMA, how will they do this work? There are many dots that must be joined up but they seem to be getting further and further apart as time goes by.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I am sure the Deputy is very much aware that it is Dublin City Council that has responsibility for the structure and stabilisation of the buildings. All I am asked for is my consent. In this case, the developer asked me for my consent in respect of seeing whether the works are suitable for that site. The Deputy should direct her request to Dublin City Council with regard to the fabric and structure of the buildings. It is very important to point that out. I repeat that I have been asked to adjudicate on whether the proposal for Nos. 14 to 17 is suitable for the national monuments site. All of the consultation has taken place and I will be making an assessment of the statement submitted by the landowner and observations by Dublin City Council and others. I will be making that assessment and I assure the Deputy that I want to reach that determination as soon as possible. I hope that this will be before we end this Dáil term in July.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I acknowledge the role of Dublin City Council with regard to this and still cannot believe how it managed to sell that area to a developer. I have said so more than once. Can the Minister refuse consent to buildings in the vicinity of the national monument? Can the developer build over, under and around it in a way that is totally inappropriate to the monument?

The environmental impact statement is not available online. I am conscious of Fr. Joe Mallin who I understand is the only surviving direct relative of someone who fought in the Easter Rising. He is in his nineties and is a priest in Hong Kong so how could he and others outside the country possibly have an input into the environmental impact statement if it is not online?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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This was made available at Dublin City Council and my Department so it was available to people and I am sure it could have been delivered to Fr. Mallin by post or express mail. The fact is that the consultations are now over, it is time to make a decision and I am prepared to do that as soon as possible.