1916 sites must be preserved

Chartered Land, the present owners of the Carlton site in Dublin, have now published their Ministerial Consent Application for proposed work to the National Monument at Moore Street/Moore Lane that honours the memory and sacrifice of the men and women of 1916.

The listed nature and extent of demolition in this application represents an unprecedented, unacceptable and appalling attack on a monument of national and international interest and importance that cannot be allowed stand unchallenged.

The plan to redraw the boundary of this national monument, invade its protected area and demolish protected structures directly linked to the 1916 Rising for no reason other than to satisfy commercial interest of a private property developer is startling. That the proposal brazenly ignores the protection afforded historic buildings under existing planning regulations and national monument legislation is a matter of the gravest concern.

That State departments, agencies and officials paid out of the public purse are in any way associated with this proposed vandalism of our nation’s history and heritage is a scandal.

Relatives now call on Minister Deenihan, the guardian of the monument, to reject the consent application before him and, following the example of Dublin City Council, instigate as a matter of urgency a cross party investigation and review of all matters relevant to the extraordinary history of the Carlton site planning application that seeks the destruction of the most important battlefield site in 20th century Ireland and Britain. The environmental study submitted to the minister shows that these historic buildings are now in a state of dereliction and on the verge of collapse due to neglect since their closure in 2008. There must be immediate action taken to secure protect and preserve them under the direct supervision of the national museum.

In this the centenary year of the founding of the Irish Volunteers we make this call not only in the public interest but in the National interest.

James Connolly Heron

Relatives of the signatories to the 1916 proclamation

Oxford Road

Ranelagh

Dublin 6