Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

What I can confirm is what I said already, which is that the OPW has been involved in this for the last three years, two of which were locked down with Covid-19. I can also confirm that this has been fraught with issues. The most important thing we have to do now is stabilise the buildings because if we do not, given our experience of doing work on the Four Courts, the Custom House, Kilmainham Gaol and other important buildings across Dublin, they could be at risk of further erosion or worse. The first and most important priority for the technical expertise in the OPW is to make sure there is no substantive further damage done to those buildings, and we have a good history in that regard.

With regard to an earlier comment the Senator made, the OPW has no intention of neglecting its role in this. It has a very proud history with national monuments. The Senator is quite right that the wider issue around Moore Street and O'Connell Street is a matter for the local authority. I was there two weeks ago and what I saw did not fill me with confidence. O'Connell Street is a show and the streets off it are not much better. It is festooned with plastic and everything that should be taken down. The local authority is failing in its duty to look after the principal street in the capital city of the country. Our role, to be honest, will show up the neglect that has been led by the local authority.