Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)

I wish to acknowledge Mason in the Gallery and wish him well when he is running for President in the future. He would make a very fine President.

Dublin is rightfully proud of our republican history, with the Easter Rising utterly changing the course of Irish history. More than any other place, the GPO is the iconic symbol of this revolutionary struggle. It was at the GPO that Pádraig Pearse proclaimed the Irish Republic, and it served as the headquarters of the Irish rebels when they struck for Irish freedom. I find it unbelievable that this Government would suggest hollowing out this monument for use as office and retail space while offering empty promises that it will somehow preserve this irreplaceable piece of our history.

Fianna Fáil's and Fine Gael's record of protecting our revolutionary heritage is absolutely shameful. Moore Street, the final battlefield of the Easter Rising, has been derelict for years and the Government is continuing to press forward with attempts to destroy this monument to make room for commercial development. Back in 2020, the house of the O'Rahilly in Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, was disgracefully and underhandedly demolished by developers and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael did not so much as lift a finger to prevent or rectify this. Likewise, the Government is blankly refusing to consider the naming of the new children's hospital after Kathleen Lynn despite her integral role in the Easter Rising and legacy as the founder of Ireland's first children's hospital.

The history of our struggle for freedom must be preserved and celebrated. The area around the GPO and Moore Street is under desperate threat from privatisation and dereliction as a result of this Government's complete lack of ambition and disregard for the vision and legacy of 1916. This site should be reimagined as a vibrant cultural and historic quarter that offers a fitting tribute to our revolutionary history. I ask for a debate in this House to scrutinise the Government's proposed plans and to present our own visions for the future preservation and regeneration of the GPO, Moore Street and O'Connell Street. I cannot imagine that Government Members are happy with what is planned for Moore Street and the GPO.