Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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239. To ask the Minister for Finance the expenditure National Asset Management Agency has committed to date in support of the Chartered Land planning application that will destroy the last extant 1916 battlefield site. [34069/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As has been explained in Parliamentary Question 127 of 29 September 2015, the Minister of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, via the National Monuments Service, recently deemed the buildings at 14-17 Moore Street a National Monument. Following the decision by the National Monuments Service to deem the buildings a National Monument, I am advised that NAMA swiftly facilitated the sale of 14-17 Moore Street, by one of its debtors, to the State. 

The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht made the announcement, on 31 March 2015, that the State was to acquire the National Monument at Moore Street.

I am further advised that the transaction has been completed and 14-17 Moore Street are now in State ownership under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. 

As a result of this sale, 14 17 Moore Street no longer serve as security in relation to any NAMA loan. The contract for sale included all licenses needed to enable the State carry out the National Monument works including site access from all sides.

The sale to the State has meant that the Moore Street National Monument has now come into public ownership and the long-term future of this historical landmark is secured.

As previously outlined, whilst NAMA facilitated the transaction, the sale was ultimately a commercial matter between the owner of the properties and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as purchaser. Therefore questions relating to the commercial aspects of that transaction should be addressed to those parties. Moreover, NAMA is legally precluded under Section 99 of the NAMA Act 2009 from disclosing details of its financial dealings with debtors to any third party. 

The formulation and implementation of policy relating to the protection of Ireland s archaeological heritage is the responsibility of the National Monuments Service.  As such, questions relating specifically to the designation, or non-designation, of these and other landmarks as National Monuments, should be directed to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.