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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Moore Street heritage protection

Summary

Gerry Adams asks whether the Government will refrain from appealing the High Court’s decision protecting Moore Street; the Taoiseach undertakes to arrange a ministerial briefing.

The programme for Government commits to developing and publishing "an updated National Heritage Plan that sets out policies for the protection and promotion of our built and natural heritage". The High Court ruled on Moore Street three weeks ago and the order will come into full effect in two weeks unless the Minister or developer appeals the decision. The court recognised, as has the National Museum, the historic importance of Moore Street. There is growing concern that the Minister is planning to appeal the High Court decision. Will the Taoiseach make clear that will not be the case? Will he ask the Minister to ensure the battlefield site is part of any updated national heritage plan? Will he state the Government's opposition to any proposal to extend planning permission to any developer?

The programme for Government states the Government will "honour our commitment to recognise the State of Palestine". The Taoiseach will recollect the Oireachtas voted in accordance with that commitment. Last week, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charlie Flanagan, participated in a conference in Paris to prepare for a peace conference later this year. That is just a little flicker of hope against a background of a peace process which really does not exist. The conditions for Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza are worsening. The recent reports have exposed the use by the Israeli forces of forced expulsions, home demolitions, thefts and settlement construction. In the first three months of 2016, the number of demolitions per month of either private property or international or EU-funded projects increased to 165. We need to show leadership on this issue. I have said this many times. Will the Government recognise the state of Palestine now and not at some vague point in the future? Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to brief Opposition spokespersons on the Paris conference?

Comment on this
Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I will ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to brief the Deputy and anybody else on that. It might be no harm if we had a debate on the Palestinian situation in due course. It is an issue of considerable importance to Irish people. I was in New York when the Palestinian flag was flown over the United Nations headquarters for the first time. Obviously, most countries recognise a two-state solution to the conflict, which has gone on since 1948 or shortly thereafter. The boundaries have changed and are being changed on a fairly regular basis. I will ask the Minister to brief Deputy Adams.

The Deputy mentioned the Moore Street monument. The judge has given his verdict in this case, and it is a long judgment. The Minister has not decided to appeal the case, but it might be necessary to seek clarification on one element of the judgment not about the right of the State or the Minister of the day to declare an entity a national monument, but about the judge's finding on what the State's rights are in carrying out work on a national monument in terms of restoring it, rectifying it or whatever. As I understand it, it is not a matter of wanting to appeal the case. There is a requirement for clarification in order for the State to do work it might wish to do in respect of any national monument - not just the one on Moore Street - and that is an issue the judge identified in his judgment. That needs to be clarified in the interest of the State's being able to do work, and fund it, on any monument in the time ahead. When I get an absolute decision, I will advise the House.

Comment on this