Shane Ross (Independent)

Leinster lawn was once a lovely park, a green space, which was temporarily made into a car park some years ago. We are all at fault because we all drive and the car park is chock a block every single day. We could give an example to the public if we were to put restrictions on ourselves and on the staff of this House. We look after the internal fabric of Leinster House magnificently. The staff and the OPW have done phenomenally good work, but the outside is a desecration of the past. We are not looking after the heritage of the house. It is a disgrace that there are hundreds of cars there everyday. The Oireachtas Members and staff should be prepared to make some sort of sacrifice to restore it to its former glory as a green area, of which people of Dublin could be proud.