Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the initial part of the Senator's response, she said she wants the place to be preserved not just as a relic, but also as a living and breathing place where there is a lot of activity. That counters her second point because for that to happen, local involvement is required. It is not something the Government can impose on people because that will not work. In my experience, it has to be a locally led idea or initiative with the local authority playing a key part. The pathway for that has been outlined in the response. I understand the Senator's frustration at the length of time that it has taken to reach the current point. Dublin City Council, through this response, is being given a clear pathway through the urban regeneration fund, as opposed to the original pathway. I get the very strong sense from this response that the Government will not be found wanting if the appropriate plan is put in place to develop the building, as outlined by the Senator. It must be somewhere that will have a very clear purpose in the community in the future, and not just a building. The site has really good potential for being a focal point for the local community and I hope to see that developed in the future.