Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)

Last week, only a few weeks before the Christmas holiday season started, it was announced that there would be no Christmas market in Dublin Castle this Christmas or next Christmas. I understand the reason for this next Christmas as our Presidency of the EU will have implications for the use of Dublin Castle, but for this Christmas, it is hard to understand. This market has been around for a number of years and it is been very much enjoyed by families and individuals during the festive season. It has been a centrepiece of Christmas in Dublin city. This cancellation is a setback for Dublin, which already has an underwhelming Christmas atmosphere compared with other cities. We should be competing with the likes of Munich and Copenhagen, with their Christmas charm which draws tourists from across the world. I hope we do get to that level in the future.

Dublin can go toe to toe with any country in Europe in terms of its history and wealth, yet we consistently underperform in the context of the public realm. We are hollowing out everything that makes our city unique, notable, cultural or historic, in the search of easy governance and foreign investment. We do not build public benches or toilets because we say it will lead to antisocial behaviour. We do not maintain our historical sites because that does not make us any money. We do not build houses or trains because that is too expensive. We do not build new museums, cultural spaces or landmarks because that is too ambitious. We let our city fall into overpriced dereliction and still expect tourists to visit. Even more importantly, we do not encourage Irish people to stay and it easy to see why. It is because it easy for them to see a better life abroad. Dublin can be a truly great city but that will not happen until we abandon this current narrow-minded path and get serious about showcasing our history, enabling our culture and making this city a safe and affordable place that people want to live in and visit.

I also congratulate Senator Wilson on his 70th birthday. It is amazing that he has got to 70. I think it is a shock to everyone as much as himself.