As part of the Government's Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme my Department allocated €2 million to assist with realising the proposed 1916 Citizen's Chapel development in St. Paul's section of Glasnevin Cemetery. A Memorandum of Understanding was put in place between my Department and Glasnevin Trust to this end.
While Dublin City Council decided to grant planning permission for the project in November 2017, this was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
Notwithstanding the outcome of the appeal process the Board of Glasnevin Trust has decided not to proceed with development of the chapel as proposed. My officials subsequently met the Chief Executive and the Chairman of Glasnevin Trust on 11 January to discuss the implications of this decision and the Trust has undertaken to furnish my Department with a full report on the project to date as provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding. It is expected that the report will be submitted in the coming month and my Department will consider the matter further at that stage.