I want to begin with a quotation that is relevant. It comes from a writer-director who wrote "The generation that won ... Independence lives in the ideas we honor, the architecture we preserve and the battlefields we yet can save.” This is quoted at the start of the report from the Moore Street consultative group, which was presented to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Humphreys, on 29 March, 2017. Someone said to me recently that we are much better at recognising defeats than victories. I acknowledge the victory and success that came with the report from the consultative group. The Minister had set up that group in late September 2016, part of which is made up of representatives from Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party, Sinn Féin, People Before Profit and from the Independents. There are other Deputies and councillors on the group, as well as 1916 relatives, the Save No. 16 Moore Street committee members and the Moore Street traders. Under a very able chairman, we went through a public consultation process, submissions, expert advice etc. At the end of the process we were all on the same page. We all agreed and we all endorsed the report and the vision for the development of the Moore Street battle site as part of a historic cultural quarter to capture that moment-in-time experience such as that in Kilmainham Gaol and other places and to capture the sense of what it was like for those who evacuated the GPO and for those who lived and worked on Moore Street. It would also recognise the fact that five of the signatories spent their last few hours there. We all endorsed the proposals to preserve the streetscapes, the lanes and the regeneration of the Moore Street market for the traders. There has been so much progress and so much success, with very clear recommendations that can be realised. These recommendations have been laid out, starting with the State - as the custodian of our history and heritage - and then the advisory group, under an independent chairman with the resources to do the work. The Minister response was to state she was fully supportive of the constructive approach and that she wants to see the work of the group being built on "so we can progress to the next stage". I want to know what exactly that means in real, practical terms in order that we can move on the recommendations of the report within the clear timeframes. We know there have been years and years of neglect and decline and of indifference to the battlefield site. There also has been indifference to the difficulties to the livelihoods of the Moore Street traders. When will phase two begin, what are the Government plans in this respect and has the report come to Cabinet yet?

It means that agreement is required. Obviously there are a number of different parties here; the State, the city council and private property owners. The Government made a decision by the end of 2015 to purchase Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street and to keep the site permanently in the State's hands for people to understand the historic importance of the buildings and their part in Irish history. This was an important decision, at considerable cost, made by the state and the State now owns it. Clearly, emerging from the side door of the GPO and turning left, moving down towards Moore Street and up towards the Rotunda are - as I have often said - the lanes of history. Dublin City Council has a responsibility here also and elements of the buildings on either side were private property. As part of the overall sensitive and comprehensive centenary commemorations, the Government has set out to ensure that the Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street national monument would be restored in the most sensitive way possible, given the circumstances that apply around it. There was not agreement about that. It is impossible to proceed with a proper structure and a plan unless there is agreement. Agreement always requires compromise from the set positions that people may wish adopt. I recall being involved centrally in saying that this building must be purchased for the people and for the use by the people for all time. I thought that it might have been of some assistance in the overall programme.

There was disagreement about the extent of the buildings purchased given the importance of all of the buildings in that street, and whether and how one might restore the laneways up to the Rotunda where the formal surrender actually took place. I will have the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, respond to Deputy O'Sullivan about the current position and the extent to which further progress can be made. She will appreciate that there has been a considerable measure of progress made, the site being within the north inner city, where the State has taken an interest in dealing with issues of neglect for many years. I hope we can have agreement on an outcome between the different parties involved, namely, the State with its responsibility in so far as the national monument is concerned, Dublin City Council, the planning authorities and private enterprise. Together, we may come to a solution that would enhance the area while retaining the context of this historic location and the part it played in a seminal moment in Irish history, which helped us on our way to economic and political independence.

There has been a lot of agreement, on which we should start to build. The Taoiseach is a cyclist and knows that if he keeps cycling, he will build momentum but if he stops, he will start to wobble and will eventually fall off the bike. The consultative group has been doing a lot of cycling. We have been building up momentum and should keep going with it. The Government owns the structure at Nos. 14 to 17. There has been considerable money spent on protecting and securing that structure. It would be much better if the money could be going into the restoration but we do have to keep the structure secure for the foreseeable future. I would like a commitment on that.

The Moore Street traders have played a major role on the committee. Their livelihoods have been under severe threat in the past years and will remain so with the works that are to come on stream. It is imperative that we make a start. Could we have a date for the meeting on the next phase and the appointment of the chair?

I recall speaking to experts in restoration about the structural condition of the building. It was clear that we could not proceed to do sensitive restoration work without the building being structurally sound. It is for experts and engineers to determine how that should be done. I take the Deputy's point. There is a measure of agreement here. Having made a major move in purchasing Nos. 14 to 17 for the good of the people of Dublin and Ireland for all time, I would hope that we could build on that agreement in determining what the next appropriate and proper step should be. I will consult with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and come back to Deputy O'Sullivan.

I had genuinely thought that we might have been in a position to have Nos. 14 to 17 restored and opened to whatever small numbers could go through at any one time, as part of the restoration of the GPO, Kilmainham, the military archives and so on. However, because of the situation that arose it was not possible. The good thing is that it has been purchased and is now owned by the State. It is secured and that at least is an important point from which we can move towards a conclusion in the interests of the city and the country, and not least of those who live in the locality.