Sudden U-turn on 18 Moore Street purchase

The State announced some time ago that it had purchased The National Monument at no 14-17 Moore Street with a plan to develop a 1916 Commemoration Centre there.

The four derelict buildings were purchased for €4 million and it will take a further €5m to restore them. No details of this extraordinary purchase have been made available.

While this in itself is curious, it is now reported that the State has also part purchased no.18 Moore Street — a building that, according to Minister Humphreys and her officials, has no historical or architectural merit whatsoever.