Carlton site purchase offers chance to honour men and women of the 1916 Rising

Sir, – The purchase of the O’Connell Street side of the Carlton site in Dublin from the Hammerson/Allianz partnership is a very positive development (“ State will have spent €725m on MetroLink before construction begins ,” July 9th). The State is now the major player in the future development of this historic area. Campaigners and 1916 relatives have been calling for State intervention to save it from the developers’ wrecking ball for years past. Had it not been for their efforts, this area, described by the National Museum as “the most important historic site in modern Irish history”, would have been demolished and lost forever in the commercial interest of private property developers. You report that Transport Infrastructure Ireland are of the view that the site will be “subject to a new master planning process” in collaboration with other State bodies including the new Dublin Task Force. The Moore Street Preservation Trust, supported by relatives of those signatories to the 1916 Proclamation who spent their final hours of freedom in the Moore Street terrace before their execution, has already drawn up a master plan that will transform this area into a cultural historic quarter in honour of the men and women of the Rising. The plan meets all the recommendations of the Moore Street Advisory Group to successive ministers, the objectives of the Dublin Development Plan and the recent Dublin City Task Force Report on the inner city. It is also in line with European guidelines and charters on the preservation of national monuments and areas of historic importance. The Congress of Trade Unions is in full support of the plan, stating: “The Moore Street Preservation Trust has produced a credible and exciting plan. Congress is committing our full support to it.” The uncertainty concerning the protection and preservation of this last extant 1916 battleground can now end with the adoption of this plan. It is simply inconceivable that the State would make €80 million available towards the funding of a metro station while the birthplace of the Republic alongside remains in private ownership likely to be flogged off shamefully once again to the highest bidder. – Yours, etc, JAMES CONNOLLY HERON, Relatives of the Signatories to the 1916 Proclamation, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.