Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Senator Feighan. Speaking for myself, I have no problem being mugged on a Sunday coming out of mass by a church gate collection. However, any organisations, including political parties, that have shown scant regard for fundamental ideas shared by Christians, among others, about the protection of innocent human life have some neck to be collecting in such places, although they are perfectly free to do so. I hope, however, that they would be told where to go, in a nice way, when they do.

I raise the matter of Nos. 61 and 62 Thomas Street. They are adjoining buildings in an old and historic part of Dublin city that are due to be bulldozed and replaced by a modern office block which will keep only token features of the past glories of those buildings. Dublin City Council gave permission for the demolition in 2009 and that permission was extended in 2014 even though, in the meantime, the buildings came within designation of an architectural protection area. It is believed that No. 62 was built in the 17th century and No. 61 was built in 1687. Both were purpose-built inns, one called the Blue Boar, the other the Golden Last. Records of both establishments survive.

Experts from Dublin Civic Trust, an important group that has done excellent work to preserve buildings across this city with which many colleagues will be familiar-----