A proposal has been forwarded to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to assist Dublin Corporation acquire Nos. 20 and 21 Parnell Square, the old National Ballroom. These premises are currently owned by a trade union which is in the process of moving to another location. This represents an important opportunity for Dublin Corporation to acquire these buildings. It is important from a conservation point of view, because these houses are significant in terms of the heritage of Dublin, and the proposal is to have a cultural tourism project developed there.
The cultural committee of Dublin Corporation, of which I am a member, has been looking at these houses over a long period and we had hoped to acquire them with a view to extending the facilities for the Hugh Lane Gallery. We have since decided that these houses might be put to better use if we were to acquire them and develop a cultural cluster in the north inner city close to O'Connell Street which would complement facilities in the Parnell Square area, such as the Hugh Lane Gallery, the Writers Museum, the Gate Theatre and the Garden of Remembrance. We believe it would fill a void for city dwellers and tourists by providing a unique cultural and visual arts resource and exhibition centre. It would also allow us to refurbish and make accessible to the citizens of Dublin and the public generally two beautiful Georgian houses which are over two centuries old and which contain many features worthy of preservation.
The proposal is called "A Proposal for Dublin Discovery". It will be a multifaceted cultural tourism project which will bring together an historical interpretation of Dublin city, with a major urban folklore centre and, perhaps, a genealogical heritage centre. It could present the contemporary aspects of Dublin's culture through a creative arts centre. We believe it would provide a dynamic exhibition centre which would link in well with the Hugh Lane Gallery and the Irish Writers Museum. It is an important development in terms of Parnell Square and the heritage of the city. With the help of ERD funding and the support of the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Dublin Corporation will acquire the property and then develop it.
Much emphasis has been placed on the Temple Bar development, and it is a wonderful development. However, the north inner city needs to be nurtured also and it is to that end we hope this development would provide a unique uplift for the area. It would be also a focal point for a north city heritage tourism centre. This project is dependent on the acquisition of the houses from the trade union which owns them. That trade union has now relocated to another site on Parnell Square as part of an amalgamation with other unions.
We would be grateful if the Minister would favourably consider our application for ERD funding. It would not involve a large amount of money and it is a project that would greatly enhance the city. Unfortunately, there is a deadline for the acquisition of this property, 25 February, and we are waiting with bated breath to see if the Minister will favourably consider this proposal. It is not often that Dublin Corporation's cultural committee requests funding for projects, but we need the Minister's support if we are to acquire these funds. I hope he will come forward with a favourable response to this request.
