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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Dec 2015

Vol. 901 No. 2

1916 Quarter Development Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members]

Question again put: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. While I acknowledge that progress has been made on the national monument in Moore Street, in that the buildings have been bought and there is a plan and funding in place, what has not been achieved is our ensuring that the buildings will be preserved in their context. It is only when one visits the site and is taken through what was the battlefield that one appreciates the importance of the context.

I remember how the events of 1966 were marked and there is no doubt there was a degree of triumphalism at the time, which was very understandable given that some of those who took part in the Rising were still alive and would have been involved in shaping the event and making sure the legacy of the leaders was properly preserved. I imagine the tone and content of the 2016 commemorations will be different. I was in primary school at the time of the earlier commemoration and I remember such events as the renaming of the railway stations and streets, the pageantry and the parades. I was perhaps more interested than most because my grandparents had taken part in the Rising and both of them were in the Four Courts garrison. Therefore, it was a subject that was a constant among my family. There is no doubt that 2016 will be different in both tone and content. However, the children who are in primary school now and who will remember the 100th anniversary of the Rising in decades to come will all have markers in the same way as I did. Some will be physical markers such as buildings, the museum in the GPO and the work in Kilmainham Gaol are great examples, and the battlefield site such as Moore Street should be one of those markers. I believe the context will be different in 2016.

History is brought to life when it is in context and that is what is important here and that is why the wider battlefield site should be preserved.

I would like to read a quote which states:

The O'Rahilly volunteered to lead the charge and he, together with twelve others, left the side door of the GPO and led his advance party under fire towards the junction of Henry Street and Moore Street as dusk fell. On Moore Street, the column separated into two sections as they headed for the British barricade. The O'Rahilly ordered the charge and dashed towards the barricade. British troops immediately replied with intense machinegunfire. Most of the group took cover in the shop doorways. The O'Rahilly could hear British troops calling out his position and so he decided to make a final dash to safety across Moore Street into Sackville Lane (now O'Rahilly parade) on the far side of the street. As he made a run for it, more firing ensued and he was again struck down along with another volunteer Frank Shouldice. He dragged himself into the lane and managed to prop himself up against a rear doorway of Kelly's shop at 25 Moore Street. He managed to write a last letter to his wife before slipping into unconsciousness. A reproduction of the letter now adorns the wall of the building opposite the side of 25 Moore Street (on Sackville Lane - now O'Rahilly Parade) where he died.

Just as the Leaders signed their own death warrants when they signed the Proclamation, in leading the charge from the GPO the O'Rahilly showed the same courage when he faced almost certain death. This is not just a place; it is a place where real people and real events shaped our history. That is part of the reason the preservation in Moore Street needs to go beyond the four buildings that make up the national monument.

The tone of 2016 commemorations need to be different. We need to both look back and commemorate the events in the present and, just as importantly, look forward. We need to capture the values that were outlined in the first democratic programme and build towards a real republic, look forward to the kind of republic we want to build, what the values should be that underpin it and what steps we need to take to achieve that aim because it is not just sovereignty that the men and women of 1916 aspired to; it was an independent republic where our citizens are equal and where our aim is to ensure all our people can live a dignified life.

I refer back to my own experience in 1966 when I was in primary school in Goldenbridge, which was just across the road from Keogh Square in Inchicore. The buildings were simply known locally as the barracks. It was the old Richmond Gaol where those who were picked up in the surrender and, indeed, those who were subsequently rounded up were brought, and for most it is where they departed from for English prisons, including my own grandfather who was sent to Stafford Gaol and then on to Frongoch interment camp in Wales. In 1966, the barracks was one of the last refuges for those, mostly families, who were homeless. Many of the windows had no glass, it was dirty and rat infested and poverty was endemic. The girl who sat beside me in school lived with her family in the barracks. While she was someone who carried herself with real dignity, there was no dignity about where she lived or how she lived. It was such a terrible irony that such poverty and deprivation could have existed in this of all places.

The commemorations were happening against that backdrop. Indeed, many of the city slums still stood in 1966 a stone's throw from O'Connell Street and the GPO. Just as 1966 was a marker in time about our social development, so will 2016. Surely 100 years after the Rising, the right to shelter should be a given. Surely that is one thing that should not mark the memories of primary school students in decades to come but it seems, unfortunately, it is destined to be for those who are currently experiencing homelessness, including many children. My own observation of Keogh Square as a youngster was life shaping and it certainly shaped my political opinions and outlook. It is part of why I find it totally unacceptable that the number of children who go to bed hungry is increasing and 140,000 children are living in deprivation in 2015, a number that has unfortunately doubled over the past five years. A poor child has a greater chance of being a poor adult. We cannot continue to allow this to happen. The litmus test of cherishing all the children of the nation equally must be given real meaning.

The legacy of 2016 must capture many things. First, the commemorations must be fitting. Second, the opportunity to conserve important buildings and places must be taken. The works on the Four Courts, the GPO and Kilmainham Gaol are good examples but the Moore Street battlefield site should be included. Third, it will be essential that we take stock and use the opportunity to build towards the kind of republic that we have never managed to build but which I believe can ultimately be achieved. Moore Street was a living street in 1916 and it can be again. It can live comfortably with being a battlefield site that is both an historical site and a living street. It will take a little imagination but we should not allow this opportunity to pass. If people review the papers in 50 years' time and see that some of us aspired to have the site preserved in context, they will look back and wonder, if we do not take the opportunity now, what value we placed on the events of 1916.

I welcome the opportunity to debate the commemorations of the 1916 Rising and I am glad to support the Government position on the legislation. I am delighted that on 31 March 2015, to protect and conserve this national monument, the Government made a decision to purchase Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street to preserve these buildings and in recognition of their historical importance in our nation's history and to safeguard them for the future as an historical landmark. We have had many debates in the past, particularly among Members from Dublin, and there will be many in the future about how we commemorate the Rising. It is an important time of reflection first and foremost. It will give us an opportunity to look back on the journey our nation has taken from that incisive point in our history to date. Many of the hallmarks of what has made us a great nation were personal sacrifice and, in the case of 1916, many paid the ultimate sacrifice with their own lives. Nowadays, we are probably more individualistic in our outlook and, at times, the downside of that is we can be more self-serving but the general outlook of people at that time was very much motivated by the common good and a greater good not just for themselves but for future generations. We owe a great deal to our founding fathers and those who came after them to carry on that tradition.

When we reflect on contemporary issues facing us, global warming and climate change are topical at the moment. We have to be bold and fierce in tackling this issue. It will have an effect on us individually, on business and on agriculture. The way in which we face up to that at the times we are called on will be important. The climate change debate is complex and not so straightforward because burdens, some financial, will be placed on people. In the case of the carbon tax, we have to safeguard people from fuel poverty where they have no choice other than to burn fossil fuels because they cannot afford, for example, a different heating system or to buy an electric car. We also have to safeguard business from the point of view of competitiveness.

Sometimes we forget about the common good and use the term too loosely because people are concerned about themselves. I realise I am generalising but we have to get the focus back on many issues. While it is right to strive towards excellence and debate citizens' rights in this House, bearing in mind we will never be perfect, we need more debate on individual responsibility now that we can do a lot more of what we like. Oppression is a thing of the past; we are much freer than in the past. There does not seem to be the same emphasis on debate about responsibility.

When I speak of the 2016 commemorations, I like to do so with reference to my county. Most of the action during the Easter Rising did not occur in County Mayo. The events took place in Dublin and yet it had a major impact on all of our lives and our country. Mayo is the birthplace of two key figures who took part in the Rising - Major John MacBride of Westport, who was second in command of the Jacob's garrison and was executed for his part in the 1916 Rising, and Dr. Kathleen Lynn of Mullafarry near Killala, who was the chief medical officer in the Irish Citizen Army stationed at the City Hall garrison during the fighting. We also had links to Pádraig Pearse, Roger Casement and Éamon de Valera, all of whom studied at the Irish college in Tourmakeady to improve their Irish. Tourmakeady is one of three Gaeltacht areas in Mayo.

Recently, someone who has more local knowledge than I informed me of another person to commemorate in Mayo. The local commemoration group was not aware of the connection of Dr. Brigid Lyons Thornton to Mayo. She was born in Roscommon but married a Mayo man, Captain Edward Thornton. She tended to the wounded in the Four Courts during the Rising. After that, her legacy is of fighting for underprivileged people and for what we would today call human rights. She was incarcerated in Kilmainham Gaol and continued her medical studies and republican activities. She was buried beside her husband in Toomore cemetery near Foxford in County Mayo in April 1987. Her funeral had full military colours, her coffin was draped with the Tricolour and a guard of honour formed by the western command fired a graveside salute. We are only beginning to talk about our claim to Dr. Brigid Lyons Thornton and her great work and fight against injustice throughout her life, the seeds of which were sown around the time of the 1916 Rising.

I compliment the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and all parties involved in bringing the commemorations to places outside Dublin. Mayo County Council, like every local authority, has put a programme together. Mayo County Council holds the largest collection of artefacts related to the Rising outside of Dublin at the Clarke collection in Ballina, which was opened in 2013. The collection was formed by Jackie Clarke, a visionary local man and former town councillor, and his son, Peter. When he died in 2000, he donated the materials to the county council to make them available to the public. Those archives and artefacts are of considerable value. It is a great tribute to him that his widow, the late Anne Clarke, who died recently, donated the collection to the State in accordance with his wishes. The collection has great financial value and we look forward to having many commemorations there among unique artefacts that are not available elsewhere and to the idea of interfacing with schools and locals to bring the commemoration alive. We will look back and there will be an examination of social and political history. Sometimes when we see black and white images of people in poverty, we do not easily relate to them because they look different to how people look now. We talk about poverty now but these people knew real poverty. It was poverty of a different nature because they were impoverished financially, not culturally. They are stories we can relate to because they go back to the theme of personal sacrifice.

It is particularly important to move forward. I assume that is why it is called the 2016 commemoration and not the 1916 commemoration. It allows us to look at where we are now as a society. I often think of my grandparents and great-grandparents who worked hard to raise their families without the welfare system we have today. They had ambitions for family and the family unit and community were strong. In many ways, I feel the idea was to create a society where families and future generations would flourish and take responsibility for the country. Their motivation was the common good.

In terms of involvement in arts and culture, there is a collaborative 2016 project under way involving the foremost arts venues in Mayo. Ballina Arts Centre, the Linenhall Theatre, Customs House Studio, Áras Inis Gluaire and Ballinglen Arts Foundation are coming together on a collaborative project which will focus particularly on Dr. Kathleen Lynn and her role in the 1916 Rising. One thing of particular importance is that we are acknowledging and highlighting the role of women. As is true in most of history, women are there but they never got the limelight or platform. Dr. Kathleen Lynn is somebody we are particularly proud of. She is from near where I come from and was the daughter of a Church of Ireland rector. She was an important woman during the 1916 Rising. The arts allows us to look at things in a modern setting. The involvement of the arts means that we are not looking at it in a strictly historical way but are thinking outside the box in terms of the contributions made by people. When the arts are used to break down prejudice or racism, it disarms people because the message or interpretation circumvents normal language and speaks in a way that is disarming and allows us to look at events with fresh eyes.

All of this, in addition to the €3 million funding package to support this extensive programme of local events planned for 2016 around the country, is very welcome. It is a once in a century moment in our country's history. It is important that everybody gets to participate and that we reach out to our diaspora because 70 million people around the world claim some Irish connection or descent. They are part of our nation, which extends way beyond these shores. By marking these sometimes intangible concepts, we make them more tangible and speak to the civic spirit. People are looking for an avenue of expression.

The body of work that has been done locally and nationally is very important. I look forward to 2016 and a lot of conversation about our country in terms of the journey it has been on, the reality of that journey and the difficulties experienced in that regard, which are so often forgotten. As we move forward, we must do so in a positive vein with great hope for the future of our country in terms of the legacy that has been given to us by our forefathers.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this subject tonight. I do not in any way doubt the motives of Fianna Fáil in bringing this Bill forward. It is right and proper that we commemorate those who died a century ago. The Minister mentioned that the Bill as currently drafted is ill-conceived, that it is not well-constructed and that it could potentially be unconstitutional in some respects. For that reason, my colleagues and I on this side of the House will be opposing this Bill.

The Government is committed to commemorating the legacy of 100 years ago. In this regard, it recently purchased Nos. 14 to17 Moore Street. We can expect to see the new commemorative centre opened there next year. A new visitors centre will also be opened in the GPO. These are two excellent new additions to the Dublin landscape that will be appreciated by residents of Dublin and visitors from outside the capital, including foreign visitors. They are fitting tributes.

As a Deputy from outside the capital city, I wish to focus on two issues. First, the Rising did not only happen in Dublin; it also happened outside the capital. Second, as a nation we will be commemorating a series of historical events over the next few years, all of which reflect the maelstrom that existed in Ireland and the world in the 1910s. In regard to the Rising having also taken place outside the capital, in my own county of Meath a battalion led by Thomas Ashe was ordered by Pádraig Pearse to defend the area around Fairyhouse outside what is now known as Ratoath. Following that, there was a major battle in Ashbourne during which the rebels in a six-hour battle captured arms and vehicles. They only surrendered 24 hours after the Rising collapsed on the orders of Pádraig Pearse. Thomas Ashe is currently the subject of a plebiscite in Ashbourne in terms of a proposal to rename Broadmeadow Street as Thomas Ashe Street after the leader of that rebel battalion. A handful of residents in Broadmeadow Street will be voting on that this week. We are looking at other ways of commemorating the fact that the Rising also took place outside Dublin. I have no doubt that next year there will be events in places like Ashbourne to commemorate those battles.

Other events took place 100 years ago that are not related to the Rising, for example, the involvement of people from Meath in the First World War. I refer in particular to the poet, Francis Ledwidge, who, like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, was a war-time poet. Sponsored by Lord Dunsany, he was a prolific poet by the time he signed up to fight in the First World War. He did so because he thought it was unreasonable to expect others to defend the rights that he was taking for granted. He fought in Gallipoli, which he survived, but was wounded. While recuperating in hospital in Manchester, he heard about the death of one of the leaders of the Rising, Thomas MacDonagh. Many people who fought in the First World War did so because they saw it as their duty as nationalists to defend the rights of the free world that were under threat.

Francis Ledwidge, although a fighter in the First World War, wrote a lament for Thomas MacDonagh, who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising, the first verse of which I would like to read into the record. It states:

He shall not hear the bittern cry

In the wild sky, where he is lain,

Nor voices of the sweeter birds,

Above the wailing of the rain.

Many people will remember that from their days at school. I was delighted that Deputy Quinn, during his tenure as Minister for Education and Skills, put Francis Ledwidge back on the leaving certificate course. It is a fitting tribute, bearing in mind the upcoming commemorations. Francis Ledwidge lost his life at the Third Battle of Ypres and is buried at Passchendaele. Although he never returned home to Meath, he is remembered. Last week, I attended the launch of a CD of his works in the village of Slane. Yesterday, it was announced that a commemorative stamp will be issued on the centenary of his death in 1917 to reflect the role he played not only as one of Ireland's leading war time poets but as one of Ireland's leading poets of the last century. It is worth while remembering individuals who played such a major role in shaping the Ireland we now live in and enjoy. The purpose of these commemorative events, the Easter Rising commemorative centre and the new visitors centre in the GPO is to ensure that the next generation do not forget where they came from. It is important the next generation learns about the sacrifices made by others to ensure they could enjoy the rights available to them in this country. It is vital and imperative that we remember that. For that reason, I am delighted that the Government is spending so much time and effort ensuring that a range of centenaries are commemorated and are given the respect they deserve.

While I accept the motives behind this Bill, I am unable to support it for the reasons I outlined earlier.

The next speaking slot is being shared by Deputies Michael Kitt, Sean Fleming, Brendan Smith and Seamus Kirk. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for the opportunity to discuss the 1916 quarter development. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Teachta Ó Cuív. Tá an Bille seo an-tábhachtach. Tá sé ag plé le gnóthaí níos mó ná reachtaíocht ón Rialtas. Tá sé ag plé le h-athchóiriú ar Moore Street agus ar an GPO agus ar fhoirgnimh cosúil le Boland's Mill, South Dublin Union nó Ospidéal Naomh Shéamais, an sean monarcha Jacob's, an Royal College of Surgeons, Mount Street agus foirgnimh eile. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go mbeidh athchóiriú i lár Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath freisin.

In welcoming this Bill, I re-emphasise the need for identification of all of the sites associated with the Easter Rising and, as outlined by Deputy Ó Cuív, the need for a freedom trail and a lasting investment in our history and heritage. We all know there are opportunities to view the history and heritage of Dublin, whether by way of bus or a Viking tour. However, as suggested in the Bill, there is a need for investment by the development company in these areas. It is important these places are safeguarded and given the recognition they deserve.

The discussion on this Bill gives us an opportunity to discuss the preservation of all the locations where Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army fought.

I commend RTE on its programme, "Ireland's Rising", in particular, the commemoration of 1916 outlined by the presenter, Mr. Ryan Tubridy. He said, on visiting Galway, that it was like going home for him. He met people who had connections with the Rising. I am glad that Galway County Council has a programme that involves consultation and partnership with the communities of the county, including community consultation and workshops in Tuam, Oughterard, Loughrea agus sa Cheathrú Rua. Galway is the county of birth of Éamonn Ceannt, who was from Ballymoe, and Connemara was the summer destination of Pádraig Pearse. One of the largest forces of Irish Volunteers mobilised and fought for Irish independence in County Galway and there was a lot of emphasis in "Ireland's Rising" on west Galway. There were traces of a freedom trail in west Galway, in particular around Ros Muc, where Pádraig Pearse had his school. Deputy Ó Cuív's freedom trail idea is something that could be replicated in every part of Ireland, in particular in Galway given its rich 1916 history.

I am disappointed that there has been very little reference to the buildings around Moore Street, both those the Government has already dealt with and others, on RTE radio and television and in the print media. The Moore Street traders have fought their cause for a long time. We saw reports on the role of the leaders in the print media and there was much reference to the GAA and its role in 1916 and afterwards and the Gaelic League and its role. The buildings, however, have gotten very little attention and I am glad Deputy Ó Cuív has brought the issue forward through this Bill and we are talking about not only the Moore Street buildings but buildings in other areas of Dublin and across Ireland.

A number of buildings in east Galway and other places were visited by Ryan Tubridy and mentioned in the programme. These included Killeeneen, Clarinbridge, Athenry, Moyode, Lime Park and Craughwell. Commemorations are planned in Moyode next April and at the Mellows monument in March. Easter Monday there will be a commemoration in Athenry and next May there will be one in Kilbeacanty. These are areas many tourists would like to visit and local authorities, relatives and other stakeholders should be involved.

Deputy Kitt has just a five minute allocation and Deputy Sean Fleming will have 15 minutes.

That is fine. I wish to say that I hope the descendants of the nearly 3,000 participants in the Rising will be central to any commemorations. I commend Senator Darragh O'Brien and Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív on introducing this Bill to the Dáil.

In conclusion, the Easter Rising defined us as a country. It does not belong to any party but to the people of Ireland.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the 1916 Quarter Development Bill 2015. I thank my colleague, sitting here beside me, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, who is the chairman of the Fianna Fáil commemoration committee of the events of 1916, for producing this legislation for debate last night and tonight. I also acknowledge the work of my colleague, Senator Darragh O'Brien, for introducing it in the Seanad. More especially, I thank the Fianna Fáil group in Dublin local authorities who have worked together to bring the legislation forward. They did most of the work because they are most intimately involved. They represent Dublin city and the surrounding areas and they understand better than most the need for regeneration in the area.

Our Bill aims to redevelop the national monument at Moore Street and designate the surrounding areas an historic quarter. The 1916 Quarter Development Bill will establish an urban development company tasked with delivering urban regeneration in the area. Most people will be familiar with the tremendous work carried out in the Temple Bar area. If it can happen on one side of the Liffey, there is no reason the same cannot happen on the north side of the Liffey in the Moore Street and surrounding areas, including the GPO.

I want to thank, in particular, the Save 16 Moore Street committee and acknowledge their work and continual involvement. It is not today, yesterday, last year or the year before that those in the committee got involved. I can testify that they have been involved for at least a decade and should be supported in their work. They had a vision in this regard before people even realised we were coming up to the centenary celebrations.

The Bill is very detailed and I wish to deal with the specifics but I want to first put on the record the area it concerns. Some people are not quite sure when we talk about a quarter what exactly it means. Is it a quarter of the city, a little section or a quarter of a street? Schedule 1 to the Bill describes the 1916 quarter area as: "That part of Dublin 1 including the building known as the General Post Office, O’Connell Street, Dublin 1 and its auxiliary lanes adjacent to that building; the street known as Moore Street and auxiliary lanes adjacent to Moore Street; other buildings and locations and their auxiliary roads and lanes in the city of Dublin which were occupied by the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army during Easter week, 1916 as prescribed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht through statutory instrument."

We are not dealing with Moore Street alone. We are including the GPO, surrounding lanes, back streets and buildings in the area. Lest some people think we are just talking about four specific houses in Moore Street, it is much broader than that. This probably reflects the central difference between our approach and the Government's narrow, haphazard approach. When we were in government, we declared the area a national monument. I know the Government purchased the four houses having been pressurised to do so and we welcome that fact. However, the Government seems to be very narrowly focused and does not seem to see the bigger picture. I encourage it to do so.

Some people on the Government side mentioned here tonight that they agreed with the sentiments behind the Bill but not the principles enshrined in it. I have a direct question for the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan. Does she agree with the principle of powers of compulsory purchase being vested in these companies? This is a very important proposal. If the Government does not agree with powers of compulsory purchase in this legislation, nothing will ever happen. Developers are there to make money. Shopping centres and developments are and have been proposed for the area. Shops do what shops do, which is sell whatever knick knack they feel will turn a buck.

If the Government is happy for that approach to continue, will it please say so? However, if it accepts the principle of having powers of compulsory purchase as provided for in this Bill, the Government should let it go to Committee Stage. On Committee Stage, all the difficulties and issues with the Bill people have mentioned can be teased out in detailed discussion. It can then come back to Report and Final Stages here in the Dáil. If the Government does not agree with the principles in the Bill, I hope it will be honest enough to say what it is proposing in its place because there is a clear and concrete proposal in this Bill.

It is fitting that the last Private Members' debate of the Dáil this year, before we enter 2016, should be devoted to the commemoration of 1916 in a meaningful way. It should not be the small effort proposed by the Government. The commemoration is bigger than that. There is probably a parallel between the approach being taken by some people in this regard and what happened in 1916. A small group of people were involved then and people said they did not have widespread support. Some 100 years on, there is a bit of that resonating through this debate and the comments of various people because the Government wants to narrow the focus.

I was very pleased, during the term of the last Oireachtas, from 2007 to 2011, to be Chairman of the environment committee.

We were invited by the Save 16 Moore Street committee to see the site. I met a number of my colleagues at the Spire. We then crossed to the General Post Office and were brought on a guided tour. We walked the streets and back lanes of the area, were shown bullet marks in walls and given the full history and background of what happened at various points along the way. We were shown where the various leaders came and went, where lookout posts were stationed and so forth. It was a tremendously educational day. We were finally brought to Moore Street and those of us who would not have been on that street on a regular basis were genuinely disappointed to see the state of the buildings. We were shocked. I was mortified when I looked at the facades of some of the shops on the street and thought to myself that no self respecting capital city in the world would allow buildings of such historic significance to fall into such disrepair. I am delighted the site was declared a national monument subsequently. I would also like to thank the aforementioned committee which provided us with a video showing how the redeveloped site would look.

It has been suggested that there were up to 3,000 participants in the Easter Rising but I do not know the exact number. There has been much favourable coverage and treatment of the events of 1916. I was particularly impressed by the work of Joe Duffy which made the events very human and brought them home to ordinary people. Importantly, it showed the levels of poverty that existed at the time. Joe Duffy, in his book and his work on RTE, concentrated specifically on the children who died, some of whom were shot accidentally or caught in the crossfire. It was a very human story and revealed the real horror of what happened in Easter week in 1916.

We must acknowledge that these are the buildings that the leaders of the Rising ended up in and No. 16 was the building from which they surrendered. Subsequently, many of them were executed but that was not the end of it. In fact, that was the beginning. By any standards, the Easter Rising, notwithstanding the execution of the leaders, was an outstanding success and the proof of that is that 100 years on we are here in our national Parliament discussing how to commemorate it. The 1918 general election gave a democratic mandate to the Rising, which it did not have in advance. The people of Ireland voted accordingly when they got an opportunity, which must be recognised.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the Laois connection with the 1916 Rising. Most Members who have spoken already have been keen to emphasise that it did not all happen in Dublin and that there was involvement from other counties. I have been in this House for quite some time but have said only once before that a significant event of the Rising took place in Laois in an area known as Clonad, just outside Portlaoise, on Easter Sunday. It happened on what would be known as the old Portlaoise to Abbeyleix road or the main Dublin to Cork road until it was bypassed recently. In the run-up to Easter week, a group of Volunteers were given orders by Pádraig Pearse to go to the railway line outside Portlaoise and take up the tracks. The purpose of this exercise was to prevent British military reinforcements being sent from Waterford to Dublin to put down the Rising. The aim was to derail any train that used the route. The Volunteers headed out very early on Sunday morning and hid out in the woods for the day. They did not know about the countermanding order because they did not see the daily newspapers that day. They proceeded to do their business on Sunday night and took up the railway tracks. The railway company became aware that an incident had occurred and sent out a train with several employees to check the line. That train was derailed when it reached the spot. A ruckus ensued and several shots were fired by the Volunteers. Many people in Laois would maintain, with justification, that these were the first shots of the 1916 Rising, fired as part of the effort to prevent reinforcements travelling from Waterford to Dublin to put down the Rising. That event was an outstanding success and I mention it because the officer in command was my uncle, Eamon Fleming, who was accompanied by another uncle of mine, Patrick Fleming. The group of Volunteers included about 16 men and three women. Thus there is a direct link between myself and the events of 1916.

Approximately ten years ago a 1916 commemoration committee was established in County Laois and it has erected a substantial monument at the site in question to commemorate that event. The names of all of those involved are engraved on the monument, as are the words of the Proclamation. I was fortunate to be asked to chair that committee in recent times and have been happy to do so. However, it is the other committee members who have done all of the work. The biggest project undertaken by the committee this year was the production of a film to commemorate and re-enact the events that happened at Clonad on Easter weekend, 1916. The film is called "Mother" because most of the Volunteers were single young men and women in their early 20s whose mothers were fearful for them as they went out on that fateful day. During the course of this summer filming took place at a number of locations where the event was re-enacted and the local community was heavily involved. The film crew and actors involved were put up in people's private houses throughout the county. There was tremendous good spirit shown by all of those involved. The film will be ready in early 2016. I must also thank all of those who were involved in the voluntary fund raising efforts and Laois County Council for the grant it provided to the project. The council, like many other local authorities, has a substantial programme of events planned for 2016.

I wanted to put the involvement of Laois on the record of the House. Members from other counties will do the same and it is right that the people of Ireland be made aware that the events were well spread out. I wanted to emphasise, in particular, my own family history. It is not something about which I blow my trumpet too often but it would be wrong to let this occasion pass without acknowledging the role played by members of my family.

I must stress that No. 16 Moore Street was the last headquarters of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic during the 1916 Rising. The Volunteers moved through various back lanes and side streets to get to that building from which they ultimately surrendered. The loss of their lives through execution was not in vain, however. It brought forward our independence and now, 100 years on, we are celebrating their great work. As a true Irishman I must say that I hope to see the complete reunification of the 32 counties of Ireland by peaceful means in my lifetime.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to make a short contribution to this debate. As my colleague Deputy Fleming has said, it is appropriate that we are discussing this Bill on the eve of 2016. This is the last Private Members' Bill to be put before the Dáil in this session. I compliment Deputy Ó Cuív on the work he has done in preparing the Bill in consultation with the many interested parties and groups who have worked for many years to build an awareness and to generate a momentum behind properly commemorating those people who did so much to give us the freedom we enjoy.

Last night, in a very wide-ranging and illuminating contribution, Deputy Ó Cuív spoke about the fact that the events of 1916 happened in an era when the British Empire dominated the world. A small group of people took a stand at that time, emboldening public opinion in favour of the establishment of an independent nation.

Deputy Ó Cuív referred to the theme of the First Dáil, the exactitude that was pursued in establishing it and, subsequently, the different political systems and structures that were put in place, which have stood the test of time despite various challenges and difficulties over the years.

It was on the discussion of a similar motion in the Seanad that I heard Senator Paschal Mooney refer to Springfield, Illinois, where President Lincoln was born. A particular area of the city was developed in commemoration of its famous son, with structures and buildings proper to the commemoration of a famous world statesman. Senator Mooney also made the valid point that, as well as commemorating an iconic figure in politics, it was a huge tourist attraction and brought many visitors to that city. The Bill before us is not just about bringing visitors to Dublin city. It is about a proper commemoration, but the positives downstream from that are a rejuvenation of part of the city and the economic activity that flows from that.

Deputy Ó Cuív, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, has put forward the Bill and I am disappointed the Government seems to be opposing it. The Bill goes much further than the current legislation designed to refurbish and restore the Moore Street area. What the Fianna Fáil Party wants is to create a 1916 historical quarter in Dublin city which will encompass not only the GPO and Moore Street but also other key locations which were linked to the 1916 Easter Rising such as Boland's Mills, the South Dublin Union, which we now know as St. James's Hospital, the old Jacob's factory and the Royal College of Surgeons, to name but a few of the different locations that should be restored and included in a commemorative trail. Eventually, we would like to see the preservation of all of the locations where Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army fought during Easter week.

The Bill provides for the establishment of an urban development company which would oversee the creation of the 1916 historical quarter to ensure that areas of historical significance are given the prominence they deserve. Beginning with the GPO and the Moore Street area, the development company would undertake major regeneration and restoration works in and around Dublin city centre, which would not only serve to market an important event in Ireland history but would also breathe life back into areas which have fallen into disrepair. That would be one of the many positive features that could emanate from the State going about this development in the proper way.

As a Parliament and as a country, we should want to create a city that respects and preserves its history, while at the same time rejuvenating those areas. Fianna Fáil is calling for the establishment of a freedom trail, to which Deputy Ó Cuív referred last night, to clearly identify all of the sites associated with the Easter Rising.

Deputy Fleming referred to the different commemorative programmes that are being put in place, mainly through the work of the local authorities. I attended a number of events in Cavan where we sought to bring together people who were interested in this project. In Cavan and Monaghan great work has been done in putting together good, ambitious, practical and inclusive programmes. Deputy Seamus Kirk and our former Dáil colleague, Rory O'Hanlon, have been very active in Louth and south Monaghan in running a series of commemorative events and lectures to highlight and commemorate that period.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to support this Bill which has been framed and moved by our colleague, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív. The establishment of a Temple Bar-style company to create and develop a fitting historic quarter is a very sensible one. After all, the birth of our Republic has deep roots in the Moore Street area of Dublin. It is estimated that as many as 300 volunteers and members of Cumman na mBan escaped to the buildings from the GPO when it caught fire and was attacked by the garrison forces in the city at the time. We can safely state that future generations will not thank us if Moore Street is not properly preserved.

We need the structure and the legal empowerment of an agency with the responsibility to acquire properties and initiate the developments that would be appropriate for what will become, in those circumstances, a very important and historic part of the city of Dublin. It will become a focal point for tourists, tour groups and historians who wish to take historic tours in the country. Given the obvious publicity attending the various commemorations that have been organised around the country in the lead-in to Easter 2016, there will be an intensification of focus and interest in it.

As Deputy Brendan Smith mentioned, as part of the 1916 commemorations and the lead-in to 2016, we have been organising various lectures across the north east in places like Carrickmacross, Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda, Ardee and Dunleer. What has struck me is the huge public interest and the attendances at these lectures. Bearing in mind the five or six that have been held to date, we might expect that maintaining momentum and interest would be challenging, but it is growing with the passage of time.

The first lecture was held in Ardee and we had the honour and pleasure of the presence of the great-grandniece of Éamonn Ceannt, who attended school in the town of Ardee. He was born in Ballymoe in County Galway and his father was an RIC officer who was posted on promotion first to Drogheda and then to Ardee. He attended school in Ardee and the people of the town and locality are particularly proud of the fact a signatory of the Proclamation served mass and attended school in the town. There was an overflow attendance at that lecture. Indeed, the lady in question, Ms Mary Gallagher, will be returning to Ardee. It is believed Éamonn Ceannt spent a period of time at school in Drogheda as well, so it is an opportunity for the people of the north east, particularly the people of the two towns of Ardee and Drogheda, to commemorate the fact a signatory of the Proclamation had his formative years in the county.

If anybody has the opportunity to read a profile of the man, they could not but be struck by his academic and intellectual capacity. It was the measure of the type of individuals who were involved with the Rising. They could think strategically, they had a vision for the future of the country and, more importantly, they had the absolute commitment to implement the plan and see it through. It is people like Eamonn Ceannt and the many others involved in the Rising who have done so much to lay the foundations of the Republic we have today.

It is with pleasure that I support the Bill moved by Deputy Ó Cuív. I appeal to the Government to give very serious consideration to the proposals contained therein and to accede to the request of a great number of people in the country at this time.

I thank the House for the opportunity to reply to some of the contributions made on this Private Members' Bill. I have listened carefully to the proponents of the Bill and have noted that the main concerns appear to be the importance of the Rising to the history of our State, together with the importance of commemorating it appropriately, as well as extending the preservation and conservation works beyond the national monument in Dublin's Moore Street.

The justified significance and importance of the Easter Rising are not lost on the Government. As the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, indicated last night, the Government is taking a number of positive initiatives to commemorate the event and to build fitting tributes to the 1916 leaders and the sacrifice they made on our behalf. As many Deputies, particularly Deputy Mulherin, pointed out, every community in the country will get an opportunity to take part in the commemoration and celebration of our history in a mature way.

In respect of the buildings at Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street, the Government has acquired the national monument and work has commenced to pave the way for a commemorative centre. This will be a fitting tribute to the 1916 leaders and is an important element of the 2016 centenary programme. This project will enable people to step back in time and experience the building as it was when the 1916 leaders held their last council of war there. They will be able to see the rooms the leaders were in and view the passages they broke through. The centre will be a significant addition to the many other major projects being developed as part of the commemorations. Unlike other adjacent properties, these buildings also retain significant and extensive internal 18th century elements, including staircases, partitions, plasterwork, doors, floors, fittings and fixtures. The form and profile of the 18th century buildings also survive. Most importantly, we will also have the physical evidence of the presence of the insurgents, in the form of the openings broken through party walls.

With regard to the "laneways of history", I wish to make the following points. Under the planning permission given by An Bord Pleanála in 2010, Moore Street will continue as an open street, as part of the wider development plans for the area. Henry Place, Moore Lane and O'Rahilly Parade are also to be retained. Before any development takes place, a detailed project proposal must be submitted to Dublin City Council, in which the historic significance of the central locations along the evacuation route from the GPO are featured and interpreted. It will be up to Dublin City Council to consider these matters in due course.

On the question of whether the whole terrace should be saved, I would point out that most of the other buildings on Moore Street have been altered extensively since 1916 and they retain little of the historic fabric and character of the time. A number of other buildings on Moore Street date from after 1916. The Government would like to see the wider street appropriately developed and I understand Dublin City Council is progressing plans in this regard. However, the responsibility of the Government is for the national monument and we are pleased with the work under way to preserve it and to develop a commemorative centre that will be a major visitor attraction for Dublin's historic trail in the future and will significantly enhance the overall appeal of this historic part of our capital city and breathe new life into the community and economy of the north inner city.

With regard to this Bill, the Government appreciates the constructive motivation that brought it about. It presents a very interesting idea. However, we cannot support it for the reasons stated last night, which I will not repeat. I wish to assure the House that the Government is determined to follow up on the many initiatives already commenced and to deliver a commemoration appropriate to the importance of the 1916 Rising. As stated, the new commemorative centre will act as a lasting and appropriate tribute to the 1916 leaders, to whom we are all indebted. It will allow people to step back in time to the dramatic final moments of the Easter Rising. Coupled with the new visitor centre being developed in the GPO, just a few minutes walk away, the Moore Street commemorative centre will be a permanent commemoration of the Easter Rising and a fitting tribute to its leaders.

The Bill presents a very interesting idea and perhaps the Deputy should make a presentation to Dublin City Council, which plays a central role in respect of this issue. We regret that planning laws have had a chilling effect on this proposal and that we cannot accept the Bill.

I now call Deputy Calleary, who is sharing time with Deputy Ó Cuív.

I congratulate Deputy Ó Cuív, our colleagues in Seanad Éireann, led by Senator Darragh O'Brien, and the Fianna Fáil councillors in Dublin City Council who came up with this idea and worked with various political parties, groups and relatives to bring this proposal forward. This Bill owes its genesis to Dublin City Council and the acknowledgment within that group that they are unable to do this the way it should be done. The model we propose, which Deputy Ó Cuív has spent significant time developing, is a specific company and operation to drive this development.

The notion that we should exclude areas of Moore Street because they retain "little of the physical fabric" of the past is nonsensical. It is not the physical fabric we seek to retain and commemorate. We seek to remember what the men and women of 1916 did. They gave their lives and put them on the line. Regardless of whether they did that in one building rather than another, the whole area needs to be maintained and restored as a monument, not just to them but to this country and its people. The model we propose will do that.

Passing responsibility back to Dublin City Council puts it on the long finger and this time next year, when we come to the end of the commemoration year, all we will have had will be a series of commemorations, celebrations and parades, with no lasting legacy. Will we have provided something or added to what is there to mark the centenary in a permanent way? I do not believe so. The fact the Government continues to talk about passing responsibility back to Dublin City Council shows a complete lack of ambition and understanding of the importance on the area. The Government's focus on buildings as opposed to the area and what happened there constrains that vision. This proposal seeks to provide a lasting legacy.

It is wonderful that every community throughout the country will share in the celebration, because it is the country's Proclamation. However, the fulcrum and where it started must be protected and there must be a proper ambition in that regard. What we have currently, with the retention only of the commemorative centre, leaves the rest of the area to the whims of developers and profit takers, the very kind of people the 1916 leaders and participants revolted against. We are now handing Moore Street and the area where people laid down their lives to them and nobody is showing any concern about what these developers may do.

Yes, we will have a commemorative centre but will we have a Starbucks beside it and is that appropriate? Yes, we will have a commemorative centre but will we have car parks on the other side of it and is that appropriate? Yes, we will have a commemorative centre but the Government keeps saying we should pass responsibility for the area back to Dublin City Council. However, what has it done with Moore Street and O'Connell Street since 1916? Not a lot because it does not have the resources, the ambition or the appreciation that what is at stake here involves more than just buildings. It does not appreciate the importance of what the area means to people.

One benefit that will come from the celebrations next year is that the people of this country will be able to show what 1916 means to them. They will be able to show in the 21st century that the values of republicanism and putting one's country first are still important. The ambition of the men and women of that time needs to be matched now by the men and women of the current and incoming Government. This is the way to do it. This Bill provides a properly thought out and resourced model. It involves the many actors and players in this sphere.

It is ridiculous that in one of our final votes before we begin the centenary year, the Government will seek to divide this House around how we appropriately commemorate the battle site to which this country owes its freedom. It will bring in its Members, many of whom have no interest in this issue, to vote against a proposal that seeks to do the right thing and reflect the ambition and courage of the men and women of 1916. That courage is not reflected in the Government's approach to this Bill and that is deeply regrettable.

Is le brón atá mé ag seasamh anseo anocht de bharr nár ghlac an Rialtas leis an moladh seo. I am very disappointed with the Government's response on two levels. First, it sought to deflect the Bill on technicalities and, second, there was a lack of interest shown by the Government parties, with only a handful of Deputies speaking. On both nights the Government did not use its allocated-----

When I was here on Monday, there was nobody else here to deal with very important legislation.

I ask the Minister of State to please speak through the Chair.

I presume I will be allowed the extra time. I would have thought that if the Government was going to knock the Bill on technicalities, it would have brought forward an alternative way of achieving the same result. If it had indicated it was holding back the Bill on technicalities, claiming there might be constitutional issues and that it would find another way, I would have withdrawn the Bill and not push the issue to a vote. It has used technicalities to defeat the principle behind it.

I admire the Save Moore Street Committee, the work it has done and particularly the efforts of Mr. James Connolly Heron who has a direct family connection. Some of the arguments I have heard are quite extraordinary. When speaking about the changes to the buildings, I thought of Warsaw, which was flattened during the Second World War, but its centre was rebuilt from the plans because the people wanted the pre-war city to be rebuilt rather than building a modern city that would have been completely different. It is important to say the National Museum of Ireland, in correspondence with the then Minister, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, stated:

The proposed retail development will significantly impoverish the historical and cultural significance of the 1916 national monument. The national monument exists within an historic battlefield.

Therefore, all this talk about the national monument has been put at naught by our institutions. The National Museum of Ireland continued:

Outside the national monument there are original buildings and the street fabric that is monumental in form, historic in character and national in importance. Any consideration of the national monument at 14-17 Moore Street must, in particular, take account of the route between the GPO and Moore Street in order to maintain the link in a meaningful way, given the extent of the surviving street plan and buildings, especially along Henry Place.

The National Museum of Ireland is not a partisan party but the professional in this area. Its correspondence continues, "A formal process should be undertaken by the National Monuments Service to assess the status of the survivals and to consider whether they are part of the same monument at Nos. 14-17 Moore Street or constitute separate national monuments". It is important to note that the White House on Henry Place was occupied and held by Michael Collins and that 10 Moore Street was the point of entry and the place where the rebels held the Council of War and the leaders slept overnight. At 20-21 Moore Street the volunteers gathered and reluctantly agreed to accept a surrender order after addresses by Thomas Clarke, Michael Collins, Joseph Plunkett and Seán Mac Diarmada. One of the best quotes on the importance of Moore Street was made in Dáil Éireann:

This is a confined area but it contains the lanes of history ... The area from the GPO to the Rotunda is very compact. There is an opportunity, if handled properly, to make available a multilingual explanation to people from all over the world in order that they can see the circumstances and locations where one of the first independent states was recognised in the early part of the 20th century ... This needs to be looked at afresh ... The lanes are still there as is some of the original brickwork, etc., to enable a more comprehensive explanation and analysis of what went on ... we have an opportunity to get it right before anything happens which might impact severely on it.

I say "Bravo", as these are the words of the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, 12 April 2011. It is fair to recognise that the former Minister, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, accepted the proposition that relatives of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation would be appointed trustees of the national monument. It is fair to say it would be much better if they were appointed trustees to the whole battlefield site that was Moore Street.

There are many other assessments that indicate the importance of the entire streetscape. The Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, has stated the determining factor in preserving 16 Moore Street was its historical significance, but we have questions to ask. Is 10 Moore Street a house of historical significance? Is the White House which was occupied by Michael Collins of historical significance? Are 20 and 21 of historical significance? There can only be one answer to these questions. Although the list is too long to read in full, I have details of locations where the 1916 Rising took place that have been destroyed by the vicissitudes of history. They include South Dublin Union, Jacob's, the Ballast Office, the Metropole, Liberty Hall, Fr. Mathew Park, Boland's Mills, Clanwilliam House, Carisbrook House, the Abbey Theatre, the Fianna hall, the Foresters hall, Marrowbone Lane, the Mendicity Institute, North King's Street, O'Rahilly Parade, Roe's distillery, Watkins' brewery, Tom Clarke's shop and York Street. These important locations are no more and cannot be saved.

Does the Government think it is too big a step, financially, to save the rest of the street? At the end of the day, where there is a will, there is a way. Yesterday the Minister made a big play about the local authority, but we need to put a few facts on the line. A local authority is very confined in what it can do in a compulsory purchase order. It can have one for housing and roads, but it does not have the power to make such an order for cultural and historic purposes. Therefore, throwing the issue back to the local authority is wrong. The sole power to make a compulsory purchase order for cultural and historical purposes lies with the State.

I have a question for the Government and I hope it will answer it publicly during the Christmas period. Has the State put a cost on the compulsory purchase of the rest of Moore Street and adjacent lanes? Is it willing to state publicly the valuation in order that the Irish people can make a decision on whether the street and lanes should be saved for posterity? It is one of the best preserved urban battlefield sites in Europe, if not the best.

I am reminded of the poem by Pearse when there is talk of money. He wrote:

Since the wise men have not spoken, I speak that am only a fool;

A fool that hath loved his folly,

Yea, more than the wise men their books or their counting houses or their quiet homes.

We all know how that poem continues in a very prophetic way. He asked a rhetorical question in writing, "O wise men, riddle me this: what if the dream come true?" I stood back in the initial stages when we discussed the 1916 Rising as I was afraid people would make an allegation that I was doing it only because of family connections with the Rising.

When I saw in the early stages that this important event in Irish history was going to be played down, and I must accept that the Government has vastly improved its programme, I decided to get more involved. We are determined to make the dream of saving Moore Street come true and to save all of Moore Street and the adjacent lanes so that generations unborn shall visit the houses and should visit the place shaped in our heart - the noble heart of our thoughts.

We will be pushing this to a vote because we believe that the Government should make a principled decision here tonight to save Moore Street. We can discuss on another day how that might be done in practice. I thank Deputy Martin and all of my colleagues for the fantastic support they have given to this fight. We vow to work with the Moore Street committee until we achieve victory in this battle.

Question put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 35; Níl, 60.

  • Adams, Gerry.
  • Aylward, Bobby.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Collins, Joan.
  • Collins, Niall.
  • Colreavy, Michael.
  • Cowen, Barry.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Fleming, Sean.
  • Fleming, Tom.
  • Halligan, John.
  • Healy, Seamus.
  • Keaveney, Colm.
  • Kelleher, Billy.
  • Kirk, Seamus.
  • Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
  • McConalogue, Charlie.
  • McGrath, Finian.
  • McGrath, Mattie.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • McLellan, Sandra.
  • Martin, Micheál.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
  • Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
  • O'Brien, Jonathan.
  • O'Sullivan, Maureen.
  • Pringle, Thomas.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Troy, Robert.

Níl

  • Barry, Tom.
  • Breen, Pat.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Butler, Ray.
  • Byrne, Eric.
  • Cannon, Ciarán.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Coffey, Paudie.
  • Collins, Áine.
  • Conaghan, Michael.
  • Connaughton, Paul J.
  • Coonan, Noel.
  • Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
  • Costello, Joe.
  • Creed, Michael.
  • Daly, Jim.
  • Deering, Pat.
  • Dowds, Robert.
  • Doyle, Andrew.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Feighan, Frank.
  • Fitzgerald, Frances.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Hannigan, Dominic.
  • Harrington, Noel.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Hayes, Tom.
  • Heydon, Martin.
  • Humphreys, Kevin.
  • Keating, Derek.
  • Kyne, Seán.
  • Lawlor, Anthony.
  • Lynch, Ciarán.
  • Lyons, John.
  • McCarthy, Michael.
  • McGinley, Dinny.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • McLoughlin, Tony.
  • Mulherin, Michelle.
  • Murphy, Eoghan.
  • Nash, Gerald.
  • Neville, Dan.
  • O'Donnell, Kieran.
  • O'Donovan, Patrick.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Mahony, John.
  • O'Reilly, Joe.
  • O'Sullivan, Jan.
  • Perry, John.
  • Phelan, Ann.
  • Phelan, John Paul.
  • Ring, Michael.
  • Ryan, Brendan.
  • Spring, Arthur.
  • Stagg, Emmet.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Tuffy, Joanna.
  • Twomey, Liam.
  • Walsh, Brian.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Éamon Ó Cuív and Dara Calleary; Níl, Deputies Joe Carey and Emmet Stagg.
Question declared lost.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.25 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 17 December 2015.
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