Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague and friend, Senator Michael McDowell, on driving this initiative. Let us be careful in what we are doing. I know we will have the full support of this House, if this motion is approved. The motion calls on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to abandon its proposals to convert the space into additional committee rooms and event spaces. That is to be commended. I fully commend the library and research unit. Its staff are professional librarians. They are not bookkeepers, book attendants or library attendants. They are qualified librarians and researchers who draw from their team here and in other parts of the facility to advise parliamentarians, including Senators and Deputies, in their work in drafting primary legislation. As Senator McDowell said, we get independent, impartial and confidential advice. It is not shared with anyone else, except in consultation with us. It is a critical service and it is especially important for the Independent benches of these Houses because we do not have the same resources as the parties. It is more important to Independent Senators and TDs who do not have a huge bank of resources to support them in independently validating legislation that is put before these Houses, which we have to put through the five Stages of a Bill.

This is a protected structure. I took the time to look at a number of architectural conservation reports on the restoration of this building. At all times, I was reminded that it is a protected structure. The designation of a protected structure is made by the planning authorities, in this case Dublin City Council. Dublin City Council is the planning authority for this part of Dublin and for all of Dublin. A protected structure is a structure of special interest for any one of the following reasons - architectural, historical, archeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical reasons. It can be because of any one of those criteria. The elected members designated this building a protected structure at some point. It cannot be removed from the record of protected structures without special provisions and I do not think it would ever happen in this case. Therefore, it is a reserved function, first and foremost, of the planning authority of Dublin local authority which has the power to carry out enforcement and ensure that there are no breaches of the law. There is no exemption for development in the planning and development Act other than in special circumstances. A declaration would have to be made by a conservation architect employed by Dublin City Council and the declaration would have to be validated by the council. A range of issues need to be dealt with.

I had the opportunity to meet former Members at a lunch hosted by the Oireachtas last Friday. Many of them raised the matter with me and were appalled, including Members from all sides of the House who use the library facility from time to time to read the newspaper or whatever. They were shocked. They could not believe it was happening. It is important to put out a call to those who do not know that all regional, provincial and local newspapers are filed here every week. TDs and Senators from all over the country go there, especially on Thursdays, but all week, to look at those newspapers. The provincial, local or county newspapers or radio stations that are watching today need to be careful as I am not sure that facility - while it might be a draw, to sit down, spread those newspapers out in front of us and read them - will continue. I am deeply concerned about that.

We need to look at many issues. More importantly, a room is a room and for those watching tonight, this room we are in, the great Seanad Chamber, is a reflection of the library below us in the building. The library and reading room, the research space, is below us. It has more or less the same footprint. It has the most beautiful stucco ceiling, architecture and fireplaces. The furniture that was in it has been dispersed. I can say where the furniture is, but I cannot say where the lamps, light standards, brass fittings and lovely glazed globes are. Surely someone knows and someone must be accountable. This building is owned by the Office of Public Works. We have a Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I intend to contact him tomorrow to ask him what he will do about it. He is a custodian of this building. He is legally responsible for it. We also have a Minister for heritage in the Custom House. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is in the Custom House. It has close working relationships with NGOs; heritage people, groups and advocates; and Dublin City Council. Perhaps we should ask Dublin City Council to investigate the alleged abuses and damage to this protected structure. I am minded to do it. I will reflect on this debate in the next few days. The relevant enforcement authorities need to hold the establishment to account. Who made the decision? It now appears that no one made it. Who is driving the decision to take all the furniture out, disperse the books and effectively push the people out of here?

We in this House value the direct contact with librarians and researchers. The Cathaoirleach and every Member of the House will know that traditionally, when we opened the door of the library, there were four desks in each corner. We could speak one-to-one with one of the excellent library research team and explain we were having difficulty navigating a Bill and wanted more background and detail on how best practice is applied in other jurisdictions. The staff would put us at ease, tease out some of the issues, help clarify our thought processes, give us a timeline within which they would come back with a preliminary report and tell us we could ask for further information. It is invaluable. I simply could not do my work in this House without the support of that brilliant, dedicated team of people. We are talking about a dedicated group of people and the conservation of an architectural protected structure, a beautiful room that was set up with lovely furniture, some of which is now scattered around rooms. I cannot say it is all scattered around rooms. I do not know whether it is all in the building. We need to know that. We have to hold people to account. We have to reclaim, hold onto, guard and protect the powers, functions and facilities that allow us to do our job as parliamentarians. We should do nothing less and should not apologise for making the case.

I say to the commission, Cathaoirleach, Ceann Comhairle and the chief executive of these Houses to pull together, work together and consult with us. We should not have to come to this Chamber tonight to get some focus and attention on the issues that are important to this House. Let us support one another. Let us protect our heritage, parliamentary democracy, parliamentary engagement and the facilities that allow us to do the job. From tonight, the public will know. No doubt the media will carry this story in the coming days. I hope they too engage and write to TDs, Senators and Ministers to ask what is going on. My appeal is to the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works that owns the building, the Minister for heritage, and Dublin City Council planning enforcement. I hope they will wake up, investigate and ask the hard questions. Let us not give up.This is the beginning of a campaign that will not cease and should not stop until the furniture is put back in that room, we are guaranteed the services we are used to and we can get on with doing the work we are elected to do, which is to defend democracy and bring new laws into this land but on the basis that we are well informed and have the background information necessary to do the work.