Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, for taking this short Topical Issue debate. The Phoenix Park is Dublin's green lung. It is the people's park for the people of Dublin and indeed for people from all over Ireland. It receives significant numbers of tourists. It is one of the largest walled parks in a city. It is of vital importance to Dublin's environmental ecosystem. The Minister of State might not appreciate the degree of surprise in the community when a detailed document of just under 200 pages in length was published a couple of weeks ago without any advance notice to local organisations and local residents, who are very much dedicated to the Phoenix Park. I have a small copy of the document in question, which is dated October 2018 but was published very recently. People were given three weeks to submit their views on this complex document. Unfortunately, no copies of the full document were made available to public representatives of the neighbourhoods adjoining the park or to residents' associations. I persuaded the awfully nice parks staff to give me a loan of a copy. I know that a representative of the Navan Road residents' association has also got a loan of a copy. I do not know what has happened in the OPW, but documents like this have simply not been made available.

I have a number of suggestions to put to the Minister of State. They could make the whole process much better and lead to very good consultation between citizens and the people who have been putting forward these proposals. First, given that the two-week extension announced by the Minister is not enough, especially as the overall consultation period encompasses St. Patrick's Day and Easter, I suggest that the period be extended until the end of May so that this 200-page document can be examined in some detail. Second, I suggest that copies of this document be placed in libraries and community centres in the areas surrounding the park. This would give the public an opportunity to look at it. Third, I suggest that the authors of the study meet and consult the public, residents' associations and others who are interested in the park. The engineers involved in BusConnects, which was initially a computer desk-based survey, would confirm that the consultations which have been held in that instance have helped them to understand local geography and topography in various parts of Dublin. I think a similar approach should be taken in the case of the Phoenix Park.

I agree with the document's description of the OPW as one of the stakeholders in the park because the OPW has been looking after the park for many years. The document also suggests that the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is a stakeholder. I do not know where the Department comes in. The other stakeholder mentioned is Fáilte Ireland. The people of Ireland, including the residents of the areas of Dublin adjoining the park, are not mentioned on the list. Given that the Government is all about spin and communication, it should appreciate that the Phoenix Park belongs to us all. What is the Minister of State's vision of the purpose of this document? Where is the budget provision for it? There are many good proposals in it. I have advanced many of them previously.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Maybe we will hear what the Minister of State has to say about the matter.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Some of them, like the Magazine Fort project, have been undertaken or have been under way for a couple of years.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Phoenix Park is Europe's largest city park, comprising 1,752 acres. It was first opened to the public in 1747 as a place of enjoyment for all the citizens of Dublin. Today, the park is enjoyed by 10 million local, national and international visitors each year. It plays a central role in the life of Dublin city. It is a sanctuary from the city, an important sports, recreation and public amenity and home to a range of institutions, including Áras an Uachtaráin, Dublin Zoo, the Garda Síochána headquarters and the US ambassador's residence. As the world's urban population doubles from 3.5 billion to more than 7 billion over the next 40 years, parks and open spaces will become even more critical elements in the creation of vibrant cities and healthy communities. Therefore, the Phoenix Park will be central to how Dublin city continues to evolve as a great place to live, work and visit. From the local to the global, the Phoenix Park is beloved by Dubliners and international visitors alike. This was borne out recently when it won various awards, including the Irish Independentbest local attraction for 2019 and a gold medal at the 2018 world urban parks awards.

In 2018, with funding from its strategic partners Fáilte Ireland, the Office of Public Works, OPW, commissioned a review of the visitor experience in the park. The Phoenix Park visitor experience strategic review proposes a roadmap for how this amazing resource can make a greater contribution to the tourism economy through sensitive enhancement of visitor infrastructure, along with the preservation of its unique heritage features. In this plan, the OPW seeks to realise the park’s potential as one of the truly great parks of the world, while also ensuring the unique features which make up the park will be conserved and protected for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Through a competitive tender process, Denis Byrne Architects was awarded the contract to undertake the review. Its objectives and requirements were to review the future tourism development potential of the Phoenix Park, to prepare a development plan for the Phoenix Park visitor centre and to prepare a development plan for the Magazine Fort.

The draft Phoenix Park visitor experience strategic review addresses the first objective, namely, to review the future tourism development potential of the Phoenix Park. The review examines five zones in the park, considering themes of welcome, history and heritage, activity and well-being, as well as of identity, biodiversity and connectivity with the city in the context of the current and future potential visitor experience at the Phoenix Park. The report sets out 29 recommendations which, if implemented, would increase the park’s contribution to the tourism economy, while, at the same time, ensuring the unique character of the Phoenix Park is conserved and protected for the enjoyment of generations to come. All recommendations will be subject to an OPW review, funding allocation and the statutory planning process.

The second objective in the brief is to prepare a development plan for the Phoenix Park visitor centre. The existing visitor centre complex is over 25 years old. Up to 1.7 million visitors were recorded at the complex in 2018 and the existing facilities are no longer fit for purpose. A new visitor centre is required which will provide interpretation of the park, café, retail and welfare facilities. Sustainable transport and parking facilities will need to be provided to include buses, cars, cyclists and pedestrians. Any developments or redevelopments proposed will be subject to the statutory planning process.

With regard to the third objective, to prepare a development plan for the Magazine Fort, it is proposed to conserve the fort and open it as a living history experience unique in Dublin. As part of the review, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Fáilte Ireland, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Waterways Ireland and Dublin Zoo were consulted. Currently, the public is being asked for its observations.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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While the Minister of State’s proposed extension is welcome, it is entirely inadequate. In his response, the Minister of State never once mentioned the people of Dublin and the people of Ireland whose park this is. Instead, he spoke about development which includes retail. Why does the Phoenix Park need retail? It is our premier environmental and ecological gem. Is the Minister of State proposing that it will be turned into some kind of shopping centre for a visitor experience for people stepping off cruise ships? People around the park do not want that. We want artisan cafés which employ local people and use Irish products. We do not want large multinational companies dominating the significant tourism offering of the park. Neither do we want it to cancel out the rights of Dubliners and the rest of the country who use the Phoenix Park.

The Minister of State will know some of the many songs associated with the park such as the “Zoological Gardens” and what one is likely to see at certain times. The Phoenix Park is famous in Irish history. The Magazine Fort restoration has been under way for several years. I hope the Minister of State will manage to get the regular input of funding to restore this magnificent fort to be on a par with some of the French forts which people may be familiar with from their holidays.

I am a little concerned that the Independent Alliance has a bias against Dublin’s north and west sides, feeling that we are not posh enough for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, who is sitting beside the Minister of State. We value our park and we want consultation on its development. He will get nothing but positive input from the residents’ associations in Castleknock, the North Circular Road and Oxmantown Road.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I do not know to what side of the park the Deputy is referring. We now have a plan for the next 25 years but the Deputy claimed we are doing nothing. When we put forward a plan-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I did not say that.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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I did not interrupt the Deputy. I visited the centre on three occasions over the past two weekends. I have seen at first hand how the OPW gave the people proper consultation. We extended the process by two weeks and allowed for submissions until the end of next month. The Deputy claimed people cannot download the proposals. She is well aware that all people have to do is press a button.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is 200 pages long.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The Deputy herself got a tour of the visitor centre twice, meaning she is aware of what is involved.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am there twice a week.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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She is very good at accusing us here. She has her people she can to talk to. I did exactly what the Deputy asked, namely, I extended the consultation process.

There is no comparing Dublin with the rest of Ireland. This park is for the people of Ireland. I want to set out a plan for the next 25 years which will make the park attractive for the people of Ireland and international visitors. I want to improve the visitor facilities there. I do not need a long-winded whip from the Labour Party which did nothing when it was in government but bring hardship and misery to people.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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The first time we get a good facility put in place for the people of Dublin, the Deputy is criticising it. Shame on her.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister has not behaved in an ministerial fashion. He has been offered consultation with the residents’ associations in the areas concerned.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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We gave the opportunity for consultation and extended the time for it.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Clearly he does not believe in consultation.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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If the Deputy’s party came back to this side of the House, it could do it.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Members please.