Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2015
4. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the approaching centenary of the 1916 Rising if he will provide details on the projects being undertaken by the Office of Public Works in preparation for this event; the current state of progress in regard to these projects; the total amount of money being spent by the office on 1916 celebrations in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12045/15]
View answerIn view of the centenary of the 1916 Rising, which is fast approaching, I am keen ask the Minister whether he will provide a list of projects being undertaken by the Office of Public Works in preparation for the event and to set out the current state of progress. In particular, I seek details of the allocation of funding for 2015 and, separately, the amount for next year. There is no point in not preparing this year for the major event that will take place next year. I am keen to know what is happening this year and details of the funding available this year for these events.
As I indicated previously to the Deputy in a question answered on 16 December last, the Commissioners of Public Works have a particular role in respect of the commemorations. This arises from the responsibility they have for the care and maintenance of national monuments and other heritage properties in State care. In many cases, these are iconic locations and important in the context of the forthcoming commemorations. The commissioners also have an operational role in respect of supporting the various planned official State commemoration events involving logistical support and organisation. This is derived from their long experience of similar events such as the national day of commemoration, the EU Presidency and so on. This will be an important element of the work of the OPW throughout 2016.
Full details of the Government programme in respect of 2016 are due to be announced shortly. I understand it will be next week. We will continue to supplement this calendar with other appropriate events added on an ongoing basis.
The major projects included in respect of the OPW are set out in the following table:
|
Site |
Details |
|
Kilmainham Gaol |
Development of new visitor centre at the former Kilmainham Courthouse Refurbishment of Kilmainham Gaol museum and creation of a complete new gaol exhibition Restoration of the roof of the east wing at the gaol |
|
St Enda's Museum, Rathfarnham |
Completion of the programme of restoration of the 18th and 19th century follies dotted around the park which were used by Pearse in the staging of dramatic pageants Continuation of the rolling programme of exhibitions and events has been under way since approx 2010 at the Pearse museum and park at Rathfarnham Permanent exhibition on the life of P.H. Pearse in the exhibition area of the museum to be launched in 2016 |
|
Arbour Hill |
Presentation works to the site (complete in 2015) |
|
Garden of Remembrance |
Universal Access works (complete in 2015) Conservation works at the Children of Lir statue (complete in 2015) |
|
Pearse Cottage |
Provision, by Údarás na Gaeltachta, of a new visitor facility and cultural centre at Pearse cottage site (which is managed by the OPW), including a new exhibition Programme of new universal access works at the Pearse cottage |
|
Mac Dhiarmada Homestead |
Major structural, roof renewal and thatching project in 2013 Leitrim County Council are planning the development of a car park at the Mac Dhiarmada site and the provision of a visitor facility in nearby Kiltyclogher (OPW will be supporting this with material, interpretation etc.) |
|
National Concert Hall |
A project to refurbish certain rooms and recital areas within the National Concert Hall including the Kevin Barry room and other areas (complete by end 2016) |
The Government has provided a grant of €5 million to support the signature capital works development in Kilmainham Gaol. The project in the National Concert Hall has been allocated €5 million. In addition, the OPW estimates that approximately €1 million to €2 million from within the existing capital funding is being devoted to supplement this and to resource works at various other heritage locations. Funding is also being provided from other sources, including, for example, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which is providing support funding for the roof renewal project at Kilmainham Gaol's east wing.
It is good to begin to hear a little of the detail. I discussed the matter during the Estimates debate on 11 February with the Minister of State, Deputy Harris. At the time it was clear that the Estimate for the OPW heritage services this year represented only a 1% increase on last year, a matter of a couple of hundred thousand euro. That is not much in the circumstances. The Minister has said there would be between €1 million and €2 million to help. Perhaps we can get a breakdown of that.
In particular, I welcome the expenditure in areas like Kilmainham Gaol. Some of it is coming from other Departments but the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the OPW have a role and that is why I am pursuing it. In particular, I am keen to know the plans in respect of the General Post Office, especially the Moore Street site and the role of the OPW in this regard. Everyone knows the 1916 leaders moved to the Moore Street site from the GPO. We need the issue of the interpretive centre there dealt with. Various logistical, planning and financial issues arise, but the men of 1916 did not give up their lives for planning, zoning issues or NAMA issues. It will be a shame on the men of 1916 if we cannot overcome this 100 years after their Rising.
I am fully in agreement with the Deputy. We need to go the extra yard to ensure that we do not allow disputes over planning or anything else to in any way obstruct from the singular dignifying remembrance of a seminal event in our history. The GPO development will be particularly important. As the Deputy is aware, there is ongoing construction work there which will be completed in time for 2016.
I agree with Deputy Fleming that the difficulties in respect of the Moore Street site and the initial plans of Dublin City Council need to be overcome. I have said that those of us in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will do all we can to ensure that the site in Moore Street, which was the final location of the insurgents' activities, would be in a proper state by 2016.
I have listened to the Minister refer specifically to the site in question. I am speaking in a personal capacity but I believe my party would support my view. I would support special legislation brought by this House specifically to deal with the planning issues. There is a precedent. Planning permission for prisons are authorised by this House. The House is the planning authority for them. Given all the complexities, the Thornton Hall planning did not go through the normal procedures. It is possible that it would never have got through the hoops. I think the same happened another prison in Cork, although perhaps that is under way. The town of Portlaoise is in my constituency and planning is not a major issue there because the prison is located there.
This House has acted as a planning authority on major issues like prisons. I suggest the least we could do at this stage is remove the power from local planning authorities and that would remove the local issues from the case. This is a national issue. We are coming up to the centenary of 1916 and, if needs be, I call on the Minister to consult with his colleagues in government to see whether one of them or the Minister himself could bring the necessary legislation to the House to resolve in the national Parliament the planning issues once and for all.
I thank the Deputy for the offer. It is something I will bring to the Cabinet sub-committee on the 1916 Rising commemoration. We certainly intend as a Government to ensure there will be a fitting site on Moore Street and that it will not be in its current state by next year.
