Vol. 925 No. 3
1. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to outline the status of Culture 2025; the funding arrangements for its implementation in 2017 alongside the Ireland 2016 legacy programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31239/16]
Will the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs outline the status of Culture 2025 and indicate the funding arrangements for its implementation in 2017 alongside the Ireland 2016 legacy programme?
I published the draft framework policy document Culture 2025 - Éire Ildánach, in July. The draft was submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for input.
The Culture 2025 framework policy has several features. It sets out a series of high-level objectives under the heading "Enrich. Engage. Participate" to establish Government vision on culture and society in Ireland. It also sets out a set of key values, including the intrinsic value of culture, the right to participate in the cultural life of the nation and the role of culture in fostering a more sustainable future in Ireland. It further sets out a series of priority measures for implementation across Government and public bodies.
I understand that the committee is preparing a report on the draft framework policy, which I will consider when I receive it. In the meantime, it is important to continue the momentum of delivery of the priorities set out in the framework policy and to build on the positive legacy of the Ireland 2016 centenary programme. Consequently, my Department has been developing a cross-Government initiative to mainstream culture and creativity into the life of the nation and to promote individual, community and national well-being. It will focus on boosting cultural provision and participation in communities as well as harnessing the goodwill and engagement generated by the commemorative programme this year. It will also act as the main vehicle to take forward the priorities identified in Culture 2025.
I have secured funding of €5 million in budget 2017 to underpin this new initiative and I intend to announce further details in the coming weeks.
The additional €5 million allocated by the Minister for Culture 2025 is welcome and I wish to acknowledge that. Can she confirm whether there is a separate mechanism for arts funding? Will the initiative conclude in 2017? Can the Minister explain the criteria for allocating funds to artists or arts organisations and how they might apply?
The new initiative is designed to build on the positive legacy for our arts and cultural sectors arising from the success of the 2016 commemorations. In particular, I am keen to build on the positive levels of engagement in our arts and culture experienced throughout the year. I have spoken of my desire to increase access and participation in the arts at local level. After all, we recognised the many local events organised by communities throughout the country which ensured the commemorations were such a success. It was important to me in the context of the recent budget to secure increases in funding for all the key arts and cultural bodies under my remit. The Arts Council remains the body to which artists make applications for funding. I was pleased to be able to give the council a €5 million increase.
I do not envisage any funding stream or applications under Culture 2025. That is not my plan. I am working on it at the moment. It is my intention to be in a position to announce details in the coming weeks.
I am trying to read the Minister's mind. She referred several times to local groups and getting funding to people in communities. The Minister is supportive of the local arts in education partnership in Monaghan. Will she consider funding for groups in the same way as funds come from the Arts Council? Perhaps the Minister has more programme funding in mind. Perhaps she will consider the 2025 cultural programme in this regard. I am mindful that Culture 2025 is in draft status and is with the Oireachtas committee. Can the Minister confirm the arrangements for independent arm's-length governance of the Culture 2025 initiative?
I will announce details of the new initiative next month. I have met key cultural stakeholders in the past week to bring them up-to-date with what I am keen to do. This initiative will be anchored in boosting and valuing creativity in all its forms. I want to make clear that I fully respect the arms-length principle. No interference takes place in the funding decisions of the subsidiary bodies under the Department, including those of the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board. I have no input in the decisions of the Arts Council. It is completely independent and I absolutely respect that. I was delighted to get the increase in funding for the council and I hope it will be able to support more organisations and artists in the coming year. I completely respect the arms-length principle.
2. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason the Office of Public Works is not employed to carry out the current works at the national monument on Moore Street (details supplied). [31237/16]
I understand the Government and the State own the buildings at 14, 15, 16 and 17 Moore Street. Yet, a company called CCJV is operating on the site. I got a chance to examine the management flowchart for that site. It sets out exactly where responsibility lies and who people report to. It is clear that the Government is in one place and CCJV is in another, with the other organisations involved working under CCJV. Who owns CCJV? Why is it working on the site? Why is the OPW not managing the site?
The State acquired ownership of the national monument at 14 to 17 Moore Street in July 2015. The aim was to get conservation work under way as speedily as possible with a view to having the proposed 1916 commemorative centre opened during the centenary year. My Department concluded a tendering process that had been initiated when the property was under lien by the National Asset Management Agency. The tenders sought related to proposals for the conservation and restoration of these buildings, for which consent had been given by my predecessor under section 14 of the National Monuments Act in April 2014. My Department subsequently awarded a contract to carry out these works after a detailed assessment, including a process audit, multi-criteria analysis and independent legal advice. My Department established a steering committee to guide the project. The committee includes representatives of the Office of Public Works and the National Museum of Ireland.
The skilled workforce employed by OPW Heritage Services is focused on the care and maintenance of national monuments in State care. These include iconic sites such as Newgrange, Clonmacnoise, the Rock of Cashel and Skellig Michael. The key skills and strengths of OPW lie in the conservation of ancient fabric and structures in such places.
I am advised that in cases where works to heritage buildings of more recent origin are concerned, for example, the recently-completed visitor centre at Kilmainham Gaol, OPW will generally utilise the services of experienced construction companies that possess the necessary skills and expertise to work on listed, heritage and protected structures. I understand that the contractor employed on the Moore Street site was responsible for key phases of the stabilisation of the structure of Kilmainham Courthouse. This enabled the building to be adapted as a visitor centre as one of the permanent reminders under the Ireland 2016 centenary programme. The same contractor has also been employed by OPW on other heritage projects, including the refurbishment of Killarney House for my Department.
The Moore Street battlefield site is the most important such site in contemporary Irish history. In many ways, it represents the collision of two Irelands, the Celtic tiger developer Ireland and the selfless sacrifice of the Volunteers of 1916, colliding in one space. It has been a long-running sore. I am very concerned about the role of CCJV because I understand it is an associate company of some sort of Chartered Land, the previous owner of the property. If I bought a property, it would be strange for the previous owners to be still working on it years after I made the purchase. I am trying to understand why that would be the case. We have already tabled parliamentary questions on this matter. If the company is working on a Government site, the Minister should know who owns it and to whom it is affiliated. That would give us a better understanding of the motivations of a particular company because if the company is working for a previous owner and the owner of the general site on which the project is situated it does not give us full confidence that it is working to the objectives of the State.
Our contract is with Lissadell Construction, which is carrying out the work. It is a highly respected heritage builder and the OPW uses it regularly on different sites. It is respected for the level of its expertise in that area.
The Deputy received a chart detailing the construction and multidisciplinary team of professional experts involved in the work. CCJV is an affiliate single purpose entity set up as a special purpose vehicle. It oversees and manages boundary arrangements, including security elements, utilities interface, access, rights of way and intellectual property, IP, between the national monument project and adjacent properties, and its interface with planning permissions, consents and so forth. It is not involved in the restoration work which is under the instruction of the courts. Lissadell is doing the work but this is a special purpose vehicle to deal with the other issues.
We received a brief outline of the management flow of a particular project and the interface between the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the rest of the project, under CCJV, which is an affiliate of Chartered Land, the company that wants to build a gigantic shopping centre on that space. This is at the heart and the crux of the battle between this State and that developer over recent years. It shocks me that the State is paying an affiliate of Chartered Land in respect of what is our property. There is no way that if I purchased a house, the previous owners would still be managing its development.
It seems the High Court will decide on the future of this project in December 2017. It will then be up to the Government to appeal the matter to the Supreme Court if it so desires. It may also appeal it to the European Court of Justice. As a result, the site will remain under-developed, in a state of dereliction although a good bit of conservation work has been done to it but it will be empty and useless in contrast to the resource that it could be in the heritage quarter there. Is it the Government's objective, if it loses the High Court appeal, to proceed to the Supreme Court and to the European Court of Justice?
As I have explained, the judgment affects not only Moore Street but all national monuments in my care and how they are managed on my behalf by the OPW. I am also advised that all development, including housing, schools, roads, pipelines and hospital projects, could be put at risk. This judgment was appealed because it was going to have a significant impact across the country on essential infrastructure projects. I brought a memorandum to Cabinet and got very clear advice that this decision needed to be appealed because it would affect many projects across the country.
If the Government loses in the Supreme Court will it go to Europe?
We have to await the outcome of this decision first.
3. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta cén laghdú atá tagtha ar an Meastachán don Ghaeilge, don Ghaeltacht agus do na hoileáin le haghaidh 2017 le hais 2016; cad é an fáth atá leis an laghdú seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [31238/16]
Mar is eol don Aire Stáit, tá laghdú €4.47 milliún ar an airgead a bheidh ar fáil aige an bhliain seo chugainn. Tá ráiteas soiléir sa chomhaontú muiníne agus soláthair idir Fianna Fáil agus Fine Gael agus, chomh maith leis sin, i gclár an Rialtais go mbeidh airgead breise ar fáil do chúrsaí Gaeilge. Clúdaíonn sé sin cúrsaí Gaeltachta. An bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit a mhíniú cén chaoi ar tharla sé nach méadú a bheidh i gceist an bhliain seo chugainn ach laghdú atá thar a bheith suntasach?
Tá suim bhreise de €2.25 milliún san iomlán curtha ar fáil i mbuiséad 2017 do chlár Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus oileánda mo Roinne.
Maidir le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta, bhí €1 milliún breise i maoiniú caipitil aonuaire faighte mar chuid de Mheastacháin Athbhreithnithe 2016. Tá sé seo coinnithe don bhliain seo chugainn, rud a chiallaíonn gurb é €6.687 milliún an bunlíne nua caipitil i mbuiséad 2017 d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, €1 milliún níos airde ná an bunlíne i mbuiséad 2016. Anuas air sin, tá allúntas breise de €2.4 milliún i gcaipiteal á chur ar fáil agam don údarás in 2016. Leanfaidh mé orm ag lorg mhaoiniú caipitil breise don údarás sa tréimhse amach romhainn.
Maidir le caiteachas reatha de, cuirfidh an tsuim bhreise de €1.25 milliún a bheidh ar fáil don Ghaeilge agus Ghaeltacht faoi bhuiséad 2017 ar chumas mo Roinne tuilleadh acmhainní a chur i dtreo na straitéise 20 bliain don Ghaeilge, an próiseas pleanála teanga, na scéimeanna tacaíochta Gaeltachta ar nós scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge agus na grúpaí pobail atá á maoiniú ag Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Sna Meastacháin do 2017, a d’fhoilsigh an tAire Caiteachais Poiblí agus Athchóirithe le deireanas, tá leithdháileadh de €46.736 milliún ina iomláine don chlár Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus oileán i gcomparáid le €51.21 milliún do 2016. Den chuid is mó, baineann an difríocht sa dá fhigiúr le laghdú ar an leithdháileadh caipitil le haghaidh 2017. Bhí leithdháileadh de €6 milliún ar fáil in 2016 d’oibreacha forbartha ar ché Inis Oírr - nach raibh réidh le tosú i mbliana - ach is suim €2 milliún atá curtha ar fáil do 2017. Táim sásta gur leor an leithdháileadh sin chun an tionscadal a bhrú ar aghaidh in 2017 agus, ar ndóigh, beidh leithdháileadh eile ar fáil don tionscadal in 2018. Chomh maith leis sin, bhí soláthar caipitil de €1.9 milliún curtha ar fáil i Meastacháin 2016 chun ionad chultúrtha an Phiarsaigh i Ros Muc a fhorbairt. Beidh an togra sin críochnaithe i mbliana agus níl gá le soláthar a dhéanamh ina leith in 2017.
An bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit deimhniú dom, ag fágáil as an €1 milliún breise d'Údarás na Gaeltachta, go bhfuil laghdú de €5.9 milliún ar leithdháileadh caipitil na Roinne don bhliain seo chugainn? An bhféadfadh sé dearbhú mar sin nach bhfuil i gceist aige scéimeanna feabhsúcháin Gaeltachta agus oileánda ar oileáin agus ar an mórthír ar nós scéimeanna bóithre nó scéimeanna athnuachana na mbailte a chur ar ais? An bhféadfadh sé dearbhú nach bhfuil i gceist aige brú ar aghaidh le forbairt na cé in Inis Meáin agus nach bhfuil aon sholáthar déanta dó, cé gur rud é atá ag teastáil go práinneach, mar is eol don Aire Stáit, agus a bheadh i líne leis an méid a dúirt sé liom i bhfreagra cheist Dála?
Maidir le caiteachas reatha, an bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit soiléiriú an bhfuil an ceart agam nach bhfuil aon sholáthar déanta do haird a thabhairt do na mná tí faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge an bhliain seo chugainn?
Ó thaobh ché an Chalaidh Mhóir de, táim oscailte don fhorbairt chun céim a trí a bhrú ar aghaidh agus na hacmhainní cuí a chur ar fáil chuige ón am seo amach. Beidh cruinniú agam le muintir ó Inis Meáin i gceann coicíse chun é seo a phlé le na feidhmeannaigh sa Roinn agus sa chomhairle contae. Ag an am seo an bhliain seo caite, ní raibh airgead ar fáil againn sa Rialtas do ché Inis Oírr. Ní raibh sean-fhiacha de Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe réitithe idir an chomhairle contae agus mo Roinn. Tá an t-airgead sin faighte agam anois. Fuaireamar €6 milliún an bhliain seo caite don togra tábhachtach do Inis Oírr. Tá mé sásta go mbeidh an togra sin ag dul ar aghaidh an bhliain seo chugainn. Tá sean-fhiacha Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe réitithe anois againn leis an €6 milliún. Bhí an fhadhb sin againn ar feadh blianta ó 2010. Tá sé sin socraithe anois againn. Is céim mhór é sin in airgead caipitil do thograí agus rudaí mar sin ar na hoileáin.
Mar is eol don Aire Stáit, gealladh go mbeadh airgead mór ar fáil do Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Níl sé ann. Tá airgead an-bheag i gceist ó thaobh chúrsaí reatha de. Tá €1.4 milliún breise ann. An tuiscint atá agam ón méid a dúirt an tAire Stáit liom go dtí seo ná, in ainneoin an rud a dúirt sé le gairid liom i gceist Dála, go mbeidh sé in ann brú ar aghaidh le céibh Inis Oírr. Molaim é sin. Molaim, go deimhin, an chaoi a chaith an tAire Stáit an t-airgead i mbliana. Ceapaim go ndearna sé i gceart é, ach caithfimid a bheith ag breathnú romhainn.
An bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Aire Stáit scéimeanna feabhais don Ghaeltacht agus do na hoileáin go ginearálta a chur chun cinn, taobh amuigh do na tograí móra? Agus é chomh gann ar airgead reatha do na pobail, mar shampla na bainisteoirí comharchumainn, cén fáth an bhfuil an Roinn ag tabhairt airgid do RTE, a bhfuil dualgas reachtúil air i leith na Gaeilge, agus €150 milliún d'airgead an cháiníocóra le plean Gaeilge a chur chun cinn? B'fhéidir go bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit soiléiriú a thabhairt ar an gceist sin ina fhreagra freisin.
Nílim freagrach as RTE. Is ceist é sin don Aire.
An rud a deireann sé anseo ná "RTE's Irish language action plan". Tá €250,000 roinnte idir ceithre rud faoi Straitéis 20 Bliain do Ghaeilge agus is é sin ceann dóibh. Ceann de na rudaí a deireann sé ná-----
An tAire Stáit.
Is ceist é sin don Aire Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil, Teachta Denis Naughten.
Tagann sé seo ó ráiteas an Aire Stáit féin a d'eisigh sé ar 12 Deireadh Fómhair 2016 agus-----
An tAire Stáit. Tá an t-am thart.
-----tuigtear dom go dtiocfadh cuid den €250,000 le haghaidh RTE's Irish language action plan.
Chas feidhmeannaigh ó RTE leis an Aire, an Teachta Denis Naughten, coicís ó shin chun cúrsaí buiséid a phlé i mo Roinn eile, an Roinn Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil. Táimid ag fanacht ar phleananna do chúrsaí Gaeltachta agus pleananna atá acu. B'fhéidir go bhféadfadh muid breis airgid a dháileadh ón Roinn sin.
Ó thaobh an bhuiséid reatha, tá sé pléite againn le príomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta go mbeidh an t-údaras in ann cuid den airgead reatha breise atá curtha ar fáil a fháil. Táim ag fanacht ar mholadh ó Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir leis sin. Bheadh siad in ann é sin a úsáid do na heagraíochtaí Gaeltachta agus oileán ar fud na tíre. Chas mé le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta roimh an mbuiséad. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an tÚdarás faoi bhrú. Tá sé pléite agam leis an bpríomhfheidhmeannach chun na hacmhainní sin a chur ar fáil dó.
4. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the roll-out of the Leader programme in west Cork; the reason the West Cork Development Partnership, which has successfully delivered Leader funding over the past 20 years, is not allowed to roll out the new programme; the person or bodies involved in deciding this; the person or bodies involved in the appeals process; and the person or bodies that will now be involved in the Leader programme in west Cork. [31334/16]
I ask the Minister with responsibility for rural affairs the position regarding the roll-out of the Leader programme in west Cork; the reason the West Cork Development Partnership, which has successfully delivered the Leader funding for more than 20 years, is not now allowed to roll out the new programme; the person or bodies involved in dealing with that; the person or bodies involved in the appeals process; and the person or bodies who will now be delivering the Leader programme in west Cork. This is an astonishing set of events in west Cork. Most people believe it is the best kept secret, and it needs to be discussed openly.
I want to be very clear. There are no secrets in this regard. In 2015, expressions of interest were sought by the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government from groups that wished to develop a local development strategy for the delivery of Leader in each of the 28 designated sub-regional areas of the country. The process was open to any group that wished to develop a local development strategy and be considered as a local action group, LAG, in its particular area.
Applicants successful at this stage of the process were provided with funding and a comprehensive template to assist with developing their local development strategies. In a number of sub-regional areas, including west Cork, expressions of interest and subsequent local development strategies were submitted by more than one interested party.
An independent selection committee, chaired by Dr. Tommy Cooke, professor emeritus, Dublin Institute of Technology, was established for the purposes of selecting Leader local development strategies in each sub-regional area. The committee included representatives from my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Limerick Institute of Technology, Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. There was no ministerial role or input into any of the decisions made by the committee.
Local development strategies for the implementation of Leader in west Cork were submitted by West Cork Development Partnership and by West Cork Local Community Development Committee, LCDC. The strategy submitted by West Cork LCDC was selected by the independent selection committee following a detailed assessment of both submissions.
This decision was appealed by West Cork Development Partnership and reviewed by an independent third party, Mr Chris O’Toole. He concluded in September last that the agreed procedures had been followed by the selection committee and that the appraisal and scoring criteria were also correctly followed. As a result, the original decision of the selection committee remained unchanged. West Cork Development Partnership was advised of the outcome on 22 September 2016.
I thank the Minister for her reply. First, I referred to a secret because if this was an open and transparent process, why is the EU now investigating this process? That is a very serious issue. I read in the Southern Star and in The Irish Times, which I presume are reputable newspapers, that there is an EU investigation into this decision. Second, the West Cork Development Partnership was the highest in terms of strategy in the previous Leader programme. It is incredible to think that someone who has not laid out a programme is now deemed to be even better than it. How is that possible?
I would like the Minister to answer both those questions because the people of Cork South-West, who suffered a great deal under the previous Government, require clarity on the matter. They continue to suffer under this Government when, astonishingly, they learn that their Leader company, which had delivered for them at the doorstep, has been told that it can no longer deliver a programme when it has done that for the past 25 years. Does the Minister believe there is a reason to investigate that matter, and will that delay the funding? What will happen in that regard?
I am aware that West Cork Development Company has brought a complaint to the European Commission regarding an alleged breach of state aid rules in Cork. I understand the Commission has not yet decided to launch a formal investigation. However, the Commission has written to my Department requesting additional information on this matter, and my Department will assist the Commission in obtaining any information or clarification required.
That does not clarify whether that process will delay the roll-out of a programme in west Cork. Why is the EU looking into this matter in the first place? It would not look into it if the process was carried out properly. As I said, west Cork has been hit in recent years. We have lost our social welfare offices, Garda stations, banks and post offices. The one light in a very dark tunnel was our Leader programme, and that has been taken from us. I do not begrudge east Galway but will the Minister detail her plans for east Galway because a new process has been put in place by the Department and we need to find out if that process can be rolled out in west Cork also?
The Leader programme for 2014-20 will now be delivered in the west Cork sub-regional area by West Cork LCDC in conjunction with its implementing partners, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership CLG, Comhar na nOileán Teoranta and South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Limited. A funding agreement has issued to West Cork LCDC and I expect that Leader funding will commence in west Cork from 1 November. The most important thing is that the funding goes into the communities and that the projects that need it get the funding. When this function was transferred into my Department I was very keen to get the contracts signed as quickly as possible, to get the money out to the communities which need it.
A complaint has been made and it is incumbent on the European Commission to look into any complaints it receives, as I would do in the same circumstances. I imagine that is why it is looking into the issue.
I asked for clarity on the situation in east Galway.
5. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans for the protection of the Georgian graving docks in the Grand Canal basin; and if she will make a commitment to safeguard and improve the site, with a particular focus on Georgian heritage conservation. [31308/16]
The graving docks in the Grand Canal basin, near to here, are a very special place and arguably the most important point in the entire inland waterways system. All local representatives share real concerns over the plans of Inland Waterways Ireland to sell the lands to allow for development. This would be a fundamental mistake and would not just be throwing the baby out with the bathwater; it would be throwing the bath out. It is a highly sensitive location and while a huge amount of docklands development is right and necessary, we must maintain key open places that preserve a heritage which provides a local environment everybody can use. We will lose this opportunity if the land is sold and I ask if the Minister intends to intervene.
The graving docks in the Grand Canal basin are located in the site known as city block 19. I am advised by Waterways Ireland that this site is being considered for development in partnership with the private sector. Development will be in accordance with the North Lotts and Grand Canal dock strategic development zone, SDZ, planning scheme for the area.
The SDZ outlines the nature and extent of proposed developments permissible within this site with a use mix of 40% residential, 30% commercial and 30% community. Waterways Ireland believes there is an opportunity, in how the community element of the planning designation for the site is delivered, to celebrate and sustain the maritime and inland waterways heritage of the wider area and the graving docks.
The Waterways Ireland action plan for Grand Canal dock and Spencer dock sets out the body's proposals to ensure that both docks are developed to deliver their full potential to the city of Dublin and to the wider canal network. The plan is available on the Waterways Ireland website at http://www.waterwaysireland.org/Pages/Product-Development-Studies.aspx.
Waterways Ireland has recently appointed a programme manager to drive forward delivery of this action plan and is committed to delivering the Grand Canal and Spencer docks as amenities in the city, with the maximum recreational benefit to local people and visitors alike.
Do I take it that Inland Waterways will not sell these lands? They are three individual docks which originally were for people to work on canal boats. There is a small one, a medium-sized one and a large one about the size of this room and all three are threatened with sale. Is the Minister saying these Georgian pieces of infrastructure, built in the late 18th century, are to be preserved as part of the development plan for the area? Is she saying that Inland Waterways are going to start to treat this part of our infrastructure with some care? At the moment the locks beside this area are in a woeful state and the three docks themselves are in utter disrepair. They are in the middle of the busiest, most built-up area of the city and if they were in London, Paris or any other city they would be a centrepiece of urban development, an outdoor meeting place which treasured the Georgian heritage of the city. Instead, it has been left to go to rack and ruin. Is the Minister saying all three graving docks will be preserved under the Waterways Ireland plans or that only 30% of the area will be preserved?
Decisions on the future of the graving docks are a matter for the planning authority, in this case Dublin City Council and Waterways Ireland, which owns the site. The graving docks are located in the site known as city block 19 in the Grand Canal docks and are being considered for development in partnership with the private sector. Development will be in accordance with the North Lotts and Grand Canal dock strategic development zone and it is primarily a matter for Dublin City Council, and An Bord Pleanála as applicable, to make decisions relating to the strategic and sustainable development of the area, which includes the historic built environment. The SDZ outlines the nature and extent of proposed developments permissible within this site and any pending development proposals will be referred to my Department as a statutory consultee within the planning process.
I take it that this will be sold, because the SDZ allows for the development of the site. It seems that Waterways Ireland wants to spend the money in other parts of the network and does not care about the central core of the Georgian network in the centre of Dublin. Why will the Minister not intervene at this stage, rather than in the planning process? Why does she not listen to her representatives from the area who believe this is a terrible mistake and that we are losing value for a key piece of Georgian architecture? We are going back to the mistakes made in the 1960s and 1970s. The Minister has the ability, the power and the motive to have this Georgian architecture preserved rather than sold. If this is decided in the North, on account of the fact that Waterways Ireland is a North-South body, the Minister should go to the next meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council and tell them it is of strategic interest to the city of Dublin and we should not sell it. Why is she letting it proceed to sale when Fine Gael Deputies for the area are of a like mind to me in believing that this makes no sense. This is throwing away Dublin heritage and waterways heritage, and for what purpose?
Waterways Ireland is the owner of this property. It is a cross-Border body and it has many different priorities, all of which have to be balanced.
If this House called for Belfast docks or other key infrastructure in the North to be taken out, I have no doubt the Stormont Assembly would stand up for the preservation of its heritage. Why does the Government not want to stand up for the preservation of heritage in the centre of Dublin, which would be of huge economic value to the city?
There are a huge number of pressing priorities with which Waterways Ireland has to deal.
