Deputy Mary Lou McDonald - speech from 24 Mar 2021

Can I acknowledge my colleague Angus Osnodic for moving this legislation and I think our debate has adequately reflected the really important place that Moor Street occupies in our story the story of our country and the years of neglect and abandonment by the state have not diminished its aura or indeed its legacy for our people not notwithstanding the reality of the dereliction, the grime and as one deputy described it, its use sometimes as an outdoor lavatory notwithstanding that it's a place at the very heart of our country's long struggle for independence, our struggle for a republic it is hallowed ground its laneways are the laneways of history and when you walk its streets you walk in the footsteps of the brave men and women of the 1916 rising who carried that dream of an Ireland that could be free free, equal and united a nation that cherishes equality and justice for all and that is no small thing you see these aren't just buildings these aren't just laneways they aren't just streets this is where the republic lived as the rebels of Easter week fought to break the connection between Ireland and British imperialism it was in the Moor Street area that the very heart of that republic beat it then reverberated through the years that followed and across the world following six days of heroic resistance the centre of our city of Dublin lay in ruins five of the leaders of the provisional government met for the last time in 16 Moor Street and ordered the surrender and what happened in the areas surrounding Moor Street 105 years ago changed the course of our history forever this includes the historic terrace of 10 to 25 Moor Street as well as the GPO, the White House, the O'Brien's bottling store in Henry Place and the Lane streets and boundaries of Moor Street, Moor Lane, Henry Place and O'Rahilly Parade what happened in these places the stage upon which our city fought an empire ensured that things would never be the same again and as Yates wrote all changed and changed utterly the 1916 rising brought with it a wind of history that has left its mark on every square inch of the Moor Street area and that is why the battlefield site was rightly recognised by the High Court in 2016 as a national monument as has been said today most countries have sites and buildings that are important to them in terms of their journeys to nationhood and to freedom revered places that stand in testimony to a people risen in the name of their independence and it's right that these places are honoured and we simply should honour ours too Moor Street should be and can be a landmark of modern Irish history a citadel of the values so poetically expressed in the proclamation and in the democratic program not only is the Moor Street area renowned for its place in our revolutionary history but it is also teeming with culture and tradition the Moor Street market has been referred to today it's Dublin's oldest food market it predates the famine it's a place where generations of people have come to witness and to soak up Dublin heritage at its most raw and in the most everyday of ways no trip to our nation's capital is really complete without a walk amongst the stalls of Moor Street or without encountering the wit, the banter, the charm of our traders the authentic atmosphere the unvarnished experience of the Moor Street market is really really special and it's an experience that we must preserve enhance and promote as part of our city's attractions the laneways of the more of Moor Street echo with our past but they also chime loudly with the prospect of a really vibrant future so deputy o's notig's bill to revitalize the 1916 Moor Street quarter is about building an exciting future for the area an area that is steeped in our very proud history and the truth is this and I think we need to unite on this point our heritage and our past is just too important to be handed over to the whims of a private developer who pave over our history perhaps with the shopping centre I believe that the Hammerson plan should be rejected rejected openly and outright and that the listing of the buildings on Moor Street should continue I believe that the regeneration of the area can be advanced through the development of art and music and indeed sport as well as establishing a permanent outdoor Moor Street market I believe that such a creative and modern approach would boost tourism it would boost footfall and jobs in a really effective way and this bill introduced supports the approach envisaged by the Save Moor Street in 1916 relatives groups who have fought long and hard for the state to take action to preserve and revitalize the area indeed it should be noted the group's own impressive plan is one which would see much-needed housing retail and cultural experiences woven throughout this historic water that I believe is the right plan for this area that's the plan that should be adopted and driven by the state because it has the potential to literally transform the city the inner city and to act as a catalyst for further regeneration and further enhancement you see for far too long governments and ministers have delayed acting and this needs to stop at the beginning of our debate the minister reflected that in his view we were in a better place well well yes and no yes in as much as we now have an identifiable national monument but no in so far as we still face a reluctance a hesitancy a refusal to grasp what is a huge huge opportunity I want to I want to challenge all of us but those in government in particular to be ambitious to see the bigger picture because Easter week in 1916 was a watershed time for Dublin for Ireland arguably for for the world the leaders of the rising who met for the lap that last time at 16 Moore Street knew the importance of seizing the moment and with this bill we now have the opportunity to create a vibrant 1916 historical quarter a living museum in the very heart of our city and this now is our moment and I wish us to seize us the 1916 rising changed the course of Irish history so it's not enough today with all respect for the government simply not to oppose this legislation and then to sit back in it and and do nothing we need active support now for this legislation and I agree we need to work in a united fashion in a collegiate way we need to sit down together to make this a reality and can call it a no time can be lost we should adopt an all of our actors approach and we should bring this bill to life