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National Monuments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2019

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Ceisteanna (18)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Ceist:

18. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of progress in relation to the battlefield site of 14-17 Moore Street, Dublin 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8704/19]

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Freagraí scríofa

As the Deputy is aware, the project to conserve the national monument buildings at Nos. 14 – 17 Moore Street and to open them to the public to honour the leaders of the 1916 Rising was suspended in early 2016 on foot of proceedings in the High Court.  The aim of the works was to restore them in a way that would have ensured that they reflected as closely as possible what they would have been like when they were occupied by the insurgents in 1916.  With the agreement of the High Court a programme of works was subsequently completed to stabilise and weatherproof the buildings. This agreed programme was completed last year.

Each of the buildings has extensive original features, including plasterwork, partitions, staircases, doors, floors, fittings and fixtures.  Most significantly, they also contain physical evidence of the presence of the insurgents themselves in the form of the openings broken through from house to house during the final phase of the Rising. The intention remains to retain all of this original material.

Working with the recommendations of The Moore Report – Securing History as its guide, the Moore Street Advisory Group, of which the Deputy is a member, is currently engaged in discussions with the new owners of the Dublin Central site about the implementation of these recommendations and about the future of the site which surrounds the national monument. I understand that discussions are progressing very positively and that the Advisory Group has been briefed in some detail by the owner’s architects on how the previous plans for the wider site are being significantly modified in a way that is seen to be more sympathetic to the traditions and history of the area and that also brings the commemoration of the events of Easter 1916 much more to the fore. 

The design changes that will follow in relation to aspects such as architectural heritage, urban regeneration, community benefit and social amenity will determine how the wider regeneration work interacts with the national monument buildings themselves and how both elements are appropriately and sensitively integrated. I understand that the owners of the Dublin Central site will be applying for planning permission before the end of this year.    

As the Deputy will also be aware, the Advisory Group itself has formed its own sub-committee that is specifically tasked with coming up with a vision for the national monument buildings. That sub-committee is meeting with the Department, as owner, with Hammerson which owns the surrounding site, and with other relevant bodies such as OPW, the National Museum and the National Archives to get ideas about how the national monument buildings should be presented, what they should contain by way of historical content, what use could be made of the open yards to the rear and how they will integrate with any revised proposals Hammerson comes up for the adjoining properties.  The sub-group is also looking at what conservation works might proceed in the short-term to ensure that the buildings are protected from any structural deterioration or weather effects.  

The State owned buildings are regularly inspected by OPW and monitored fire and security systems are in place and my Department’s National Monuments Service is regularly briefed on them.

I would like to thank the Deputy sincerely for her dedicated, positive and constructive input to the work of the Moore Street Advisory Group. If there is any aspect of the management and conservation of the national monument buildings that she would like more information on I will be happy to arrange for briefing by my Department and the Office of Public Works.

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