Moore Street was the last battlefield site of the 1916 Rising and the final meeting place of some of the signatories of the Proclamation of the Republic. Those who met included James Connolly, Pádraig Pearse, Thomas Clarke, Joseph Plunkett and Seán Mac Diarmada. Michael Collins, the Taoiseach's hero, also played a prominent role in the battle of Moore Street, as did nurse Elizabeth Farrell. The street is, therefore, of significant importance to the story of Ireland and our revolutionary history. It is an indictment of successive Governments that the site has not been developed as a heritage site or national monument but allowed to fall into dereliction. We may wonder why this is so. It is because the ruling elites in this State have no affinity with the egalitarian message of the 1916 Proclamation and its promise of, and commitment to, equality for all citizens.

Moore Street was to be destroyed and replaced with a shopping mall but this was prevented by public outrage. Last year, during the centenary commemorations of the 1916 Rising - the Taoiseach should consider the irony of this - the relatives of the leaders of the Rising were in the High Court in opposition to the Government's plans. The High Court accepted their case and ruled that Moore Street constitutes a national monument. What did the Government do but appeal the decision of the High Court. Is it not incredible that in the centenary year of the Rising, the Government appealed against a legal ruling that Moore Street, an integral part of the Rising, should be saved?

At the same time, a consultative group established by the Minister also recommended the development of Moore Street as a battlefield site and part of an historical cultural quarter. The group, comprising Oireachtas representatives, Dublin city councillors, representatives of 1916 relatives groups, Moore Street campaigning groups, street traders and other relevant stakeholders, put forward detailed proposals for the preservation and regeneration of this iconic place. The Minister accepted the report, although she has not yet brought before the Cabinet.

On the one hand, the Minister is appealing a court ruling that Moore Street be preserved while, on the other hand, she has accepted a report recommending the preservation of this iconic site and detailed proposals for its development. While her acceptance of the report has no legal status at this time, the Government's appeal against the High Court decision clearly has such status. Not surprisingly, the developer of the site is not engaging with the oversight group. It now appears the developer is prepared to await the outcome of the Government's appeal which is to be heard in the autumn. That is disgraceful.

Will the Taoiseach stop the Government's appeal against the High Court decision on the preservation of Moore Street? Will he confirm his support for, and take the necessary steps to ensure the implementation of, the report of the consultative group established by the Minister?

I have had the opportunity to visit Moore Street many times in the course of normal life. In particular, a couple of years ago, I went on a tour of the area with some of the representatives of the families of descendants of those who were involved in the 1916 Rising. Deputy Adams will know that there are different views among the different groups of descendants and family representatives on this important issue. Moore Street is an historical site, one of many connected to the Rising, including the GPO, College of Surgeons and many of the other locations where commemorations were held last year.

The State has acquired Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street and part of No. 18. When all other proposals to restore the buildings failed, the acquisition was facilitated by the National Asset Management Agency as the buildings were under lien to the agency at the time. The Department then took up a tender process that had been initiated by the previous owners for the conservation and restoration of the buildings as a 1916 commemorative centre.

The Moore Street consultative group was set up to bring together all relevant interests after the High Court ruling of March 2016 which stopped work on the State's restoration project. The group reported to the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys, at the end of March 2017 with a set of recommendations for a way forward for the street based on consensus. The report looked carefully at all relevant aspects, including the variety of State, public and private properties and interests on the street and the need to cement the presence of the street traders. The report signals the potential for a successful outcome to be agreed between the relevant parties that balances the perspectives of all the key stakeholders. The Minister and Government are fully supportive of this approach and we want to see the work that has been done continue in order that we can progress to the next stage and see tangible results and real improvements on the ground.

The next step was the establishment of a new advisory group, which the report identifies as the most effective way to move forward with its recommendations. An advisory group chaired by Dr. Tom Collins was established and its work is under way. Its members are drawn from among the membership of the former Moore Street consultative group. The advisory group's task is to engage with all stakeholder bodies that have a role in bringing the recommendations of the consultative group to fruition. Its objective will be to secure an outcome that is acceptable to everyone and provides an agreed framework for the future of Moore Street.

The Government is continuing with the appeal of the High Court decision, not only because of its implications for the Moore Street site but also because of its implications for infrastructure projects more generally. It would not be appropriate to get into the detail of the appeal in this House as it is before the courts. The work of the advisory group can continue notwithstanding the appeal and the Office of Public Works has taken in charge Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 17 Moore Street.

The Taoiseach's answer is very disappointing. I wonder if he had a "Love Actually" or "Michael Collins" moment when he went down Moore Street. This House is the place for the Taoiseach to give notice that he is stopping the appeal against the High Court decision. He is new to this job and this is probably the final time he will take Leaders' Questions in this session. The vision he has set out runs totally contrary to the 1916 Proclamation. The Republic proclaimed in the revolutionary period has yet to be realised. Last year, we had a hugely popular, public and justifiably proud celebration in commemoration of the Rising. The core values proclaimed at that time should underpin the daily work of Members and any Government working for the future that describes itself as republican.

As is often the case in this State, the court case was taken by a citizen, Colm Ó Mordha. Instead of the State doing this, we have citizens standing up and doing it all the time.

There is no division of opinion. The report of the consultative group has widespread support.

Thank you, Deputy.

Beidh mé críochnaithe leis seo, a Cheann Comhairle. I asked the Taoiseach to drop the Government's appeal. He copped out and dodged that question and spoke of the importance of history. Does he know that, according to the Minister, the money that will be used to fund the appeal will more than likely come from the 1916 commemorations fund? Public money set aside to preserve our history will be used to destroy our history. As I do not have time to repeat my questions, I ask the Taoiseach to drop the case and confirm his support for the consultative report.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Republic was proclaimed outside the GPO, not on Moore Street. The vision I have put across of the Republic I want to see is one in which every individual and every part of the country has an opportunity to share in our prosperity. That is why infrastructural development is so important. The reason the Government is appealing the case is on a point of law and because of the potential impacts it could have on other developments around the country.

In that case, the Government should take Moore Street out of it.

In this case, an entire battlefield site or entire area encompassing a number of streets has been designated. If that precedent were followed in other places, it could make it very difficult for us to embark on the ambitious expansionary economic policy that we have and the building programme we have in many other parts of the country where we need to invest in infrastructure and build new housing, hospitals, primary care centres, schools and third level institutions.

We need to be assured that the implications of this case do not prevent us doing those things in other parts of the country. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, reassures me that the funding for the case, if there even is a bill - of course we do not know what the outcome is going to be - will not come from the 2016 commemoration fund.

That is not the answer that the Taoiseach gave previously.