Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe TD has welcomed the Court decision to prevent further destruction of the Moore Street and described the occupation of the National monument terrace in Moore Street by protesters as a positive development.

Crowe said that relatives of 1916 patriots had won an agreement from the courts prior to Christmas that could possibly lead to a fresh review of the proposed development and the plan to remove the terrace put in a shopping mall and maintains that protesters only moved onto the site when the developer began to demolish buildings.

An injunction against any further demolition work has been put in place until a full hearing is held on February 2nd.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“I’m very concerned about developments which have led to the National Monument on Moore Street being occupied by campaigners, particularly in the first week of the centenary year of 1916.

“Moore Street has a special place in the hearts of Irish people and it is vital that it is redeveloped in a manner worthy of   its importance.

“The delays and negligence of successive Governments cannot be allowed to continue damage the Moore Street terrace and the destruction of the terrace.

“The Government has acquired the National Monument 14-17 Moore Street after years of prevarication and foot dragging, but sadly their proposals are minimalist, lacking vision, and an embarrassingly cobbled together bunch of ideas that fail to protect or enhance the 1916 monument, and the greater battlefield area.

“Irish Volunteers commanded by Patrick Pearse surrendered to British forces on 30 April 1916 from the terrace of houses on Moore Street at the ending of the Easter Rising. We know that five of the seven signatories of the Irish Proclamation of Independence – Patrick Pearse, James Connolly, Thomas Clarke, Joseph Plunkett and Sean MacDermott, surrendered along with Michael Collins, from the terrace.

“The Minister’s plan does not even try to protect the historic terrace 10-25 Moore Street, and does nothing to try and address or give any consideration to the greater battlefield site.

“Whatever happens, it is clear that the terrace where the last stand occurred will be a building site for the Centenary celebrations. It also looks likely that many of the back yards, basements, the
streetscape, and historic lanes of history will be destroyed in the current plan.

“The very questionable planning permission which would allow the demolition of the entire terrace, apart from numbers 14 to 17, still lingers and is being challenged by 1916 relatives in the High Court.

“If this planning is allowed to proceed  then the entire area will be engulfed and dwarfed by a giant €1.25 billion shopping mall monstrosity, that no one, aside from a handful of well-heeled investors want to see getting the go ahead.

“Politicians and the government in particular should be giving a lead on this issue but have failed miserably to protect buildings from destruction

“I believe the occupiers of the Moore Street site have done their country a service and should be commended for their action.

“An injunction against any further demolition work has been put in place until a full hearing is held on February 2nd. Hopefully the courts of the land will overturn the wrecking plan altogether and assert the national demand by saving terrace and 1916 battlefield site.”

ENDS