Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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93. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the timeframe for the sensitive restoration of 14-17 Moore Street, and her views on the urgency to progress and commence the restoration. [39709/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the project to conserve the national monument buildings and to open them as a Commemorative Centre to the leaders of the 1916 Rising was suspended in early 2016 on foot of proceedings in the High Court. The aim of the works was to restore the buildings in a way that would have ensured that they reflected as closely as possible what they would have been like when they were occupied by the insurgents in 1916. Each of the buildings has extensive original features, including plasterwork, partitions, staircases, doors, floors, fittings and fixtures. Most significantly, they also contain physical evidence of the presence of the insurgents themselves in the form of the openings broken through from house to house during the final phase of the Rising. The intention was, and remains, to retain all of this original material.

Working with The Moore Street Report – Securing Historyas its guide, the Moore Street Advisory Group, of which the Deputy is a member and whose support for the process I greatly appreciate, is currently engaged in discussions with the owner of the Dublin Central site about the implementation of these recommendations and the future of the site which surrounds the national monument. I was pleased to have recently been informed by the chair of the Advisory Group that the discussions are progressing very positively.

I am also aware that the previous plans for the wider site are being significantly modified in a way that is seen to be more sympathetic to the traditions and history of the area and that also brings the commemoration of the events of Easter 1916 to the fore. Design changes in relation to aspects such as architectural heritage, urban regeneration, community benefit and social amenity will determine how the wider regeneration work interacts with the national monument buildings and how both elements are appropriately and sensitively integrated. Until that discussion, in which I would see the Moore Street Advisory Group also having a role, is complete it would not be possible to put a precise timeframe on the resumption of work on the national monument project. The Government does, however, remain entirely committed to having the buildings conserved and open to the public as soon as possible.

In the meantime, the State owned buildings are being monitored and maintained by the Office of Public Works. Works to stabilise the structures and to protect them from the weather were carried out before the Commemorative Centre contractor vacated the site. The buildings are now regularly visited and inspected by OPW which I understand is currently arranging for repairs to a minor leak to the rear of one of the buildings. My officials and I are happy to accommodate the Deputy with briefing on this matter as progress is made.