This morning, I raise an issue I raised before the Christmas break and that is the closure of the The Complex multidisciplinary arts centre in Dublin city. It has now closed its doors.

The artists have had to vacate the building. It is a huge loss for Dublin city. It has stripped the city of a vital creative space for community and cultural expression. It pains me to say this but this was not an inevitable outcome; it was completely avoidable. For a long time, way before the end of last year, I had been engaging with Government Departments and the city council on this issue. It is a huge loss to the city. The city is booming. We have cranes, homes being built and all sorts of developments taking place but, at the same time, the city has lost a vital creative space. I would like the Leader to arrange a debate in the House with the Minister for the Department of arts and culture. The Department’s failure to intervene to stop The Complex from closing was a missed opportunity and a worrying indication of its commitment to grassroots, independent artistic activity in the city. I implore the Leader to arrange a debate early in our schedule in the Seanad to address the issue of the closure of The Complex and, more important, how we can reopen it and have a dedicated space for independent, grassroots artists and creative activity in the city. Dublin city needs The Complex. We should not have lost it. We need it restored as soon as possible.