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CROWDS OF DEMONSTRATORS turned out to support a group of protesters that occupied buildings on Moore Street in Dublin this afternoon.
The rally – which was addressed by independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald and other politicians – was held to oppose building works being undertaken on the street as part of the 1916 commemorations, which activists contend could destroy a site of historical significance.
Around 200 people attended the rally outside the terrace.
What’s going on?
Restoration work at the site on 14-17 Moore Street, where the decision to surrender to the British forces was made, began last November.
The row of houses was declared a National Monument in 2007 – but the question of what should be done with the site was the subject of fierce debate for years with plans suffering a number of setbacks. The government finally stepped in and acquired the site in March of last year.
The ‘Save Moore Street from Demolition’ group organised a rally yesterday following the erection of hoarding between 18 and 19 Moore Street – and around 15 people climbed on the scaffolding, roof and into the buildings.
More protesters joined them overnight.
In a statement this evening, the Save No 16 Moore Street Committee, which is led by members of the Connolly and O’Rahilly families, expressed concerns on the protests.
It said:
As a committed group that has campaigned for the protection and restoration of the historic buildings 14 -17 Moore Street and 8 & 9 Moore Lane, we fully support the work of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in its endeavours to establish a Commemorative Centre on the site, during the Centenary Year celebrations for the 1916 Rising.
Following consultations with building and conservation experts we have been given absolute assurances, and are fully confident, that the restoration work plans are being conducted in the most professional manner. The protests that we are currently witnessing are causing unnecessary delays and are jeopardising having the restored buildings ready for centenary celebrations.
‘Not historically significant’
Speaking to TheJournal.ie yesterday, activist Mick Mooney said they plan to remain in the building until a resolution is put in place. The group is concerned that planning permission granted to developers of a shopping centre allows for partial demolition of Moore Street houses.
A spokesperson for heritage minister Heather Humphreys, who is heading up the 2016 commemorations, said she was very disappointed that any group “would attempt to delay these works and jeopardise the project”.
“Furthermore, the occupation of the building poses risks to the individuals involved and the building itself, which is in a very fragile state.
“Numbers 13 and 18 and 19 are not part of the National Monument, and are not historically significant.
“Minister Humphreys only has control over the National Monument. The development of the wider street is a matter for Dublin city council.
“Documentary evidence (Valuation Records 1911-1915, 1915-1925; Thom’s Directory 1915) shows that Nos. 18 and 19 (the former Paris Bakery) were in ruins prior to the 1916 Rising.
“There were no insurance claims made in relation to either building subsequent to the Rising. Evidence from the Ordnance Survey suggests that No. 19 was still in ruins as late as 1939.
No. 13 has received a new façade in modern brick. The interior is modern and nothing survives of the historic fabric.
Tight deadline
Work on the National Monument site is being carried out by Lissadell Construction, who were chosen in part for their experience on conservation and restoration projects.
While it’s expected the project will be completed later this year, it won’t be open by Easter. The plan is to allow some access to the site at the end of April to mark the anniversary of the surrender.
Not a mortgage holder, and I’m not unbiased, but fair play to the Govt for staring them down
No vested interests either, but I’m even more shocked that at the stance they took in the first place.
Like It takes guts to do that when the bank is state owned! Give yourselves a salary increase for help with our spin.
The PTSB are the biggest gangsters in this and are gettin away with it. They increased the rates 3 times recently and although they will be reducing this .25% they are still by far the dearest.
I think you’ll find Ulster bank are the most expensive at 5.1%
AIB only exists because stupid taxpayers pay their bills.
I can not believe that they are getting away with this. The Bank has 3,000 employees it does not need and coupled with a host of branches that should be shut the cost to the tax payer is truly astronomical. recent salary increases on top of inflated salary levels add to the pension fund cost.
Why is the EBS rate 1.5% higher than AIB and they are merged institutions?
The EBS borrowers are being excessively penalised….
I think every aib or bank worker on the journal is giving the thumbs down
What recent salary increase would that be?
I started with EBS, some years ago when they were among the cheapest on the market, and I liked the whole idea of a mutual. Because of the race to the bottom, driven in part by Anglo, AIB were at one (later) point the second cheapest on the market for mortgages, and this received some publicity, with the IT publishing a comprehensive “scoresheet” as it were of the rates available at that time-late ’06 or very early ’07.
So I called into them, just before the whole thing went South, and, like the guy on the bus, I didn’t know what a tracker mortgage was, but they offered me one, as well as the (declined by me) chance to buy another investment property, or take an ‘oul holiday.
Happily I took it, and even happier, they took on board a ridiculously high valuation of my family home, giving me a loan to value that bore no relation to reality. I still have that-and am gladdened by the fact that those on variable rates are getting a bite of the cherry-I could still be there myself but by chance.
if every aib account holder withdrew their deposits and moved them elsewhere, they’d get a rude awakening!
The Dutch did this a fews years ago over bonuses to top staff. They gave them back More power to the people
They didn’t rise rates in the first place like all the other wanks. People should do some research before judging.
People are just looking for money for nothing, now they are getting a better rate than before the ECB increases.
The ESB is state owned but does not entitle people to free electricity, why should it be different with the banks.
Still doesnt stop them giving there staff a pay rise
I think it was quite reasonable that if AIB didn’t pass on the recent rises, they should not have to pass on the cut. This turn around seems totally illogical to me. Nice for those affected & good luck to them but nevertheless quite daft!
Wow great, lucky us – taxpayer to pay back reckless mortgage holders loans
This is a direct transfer of cash from depositors to mortgage holders
Is there anything stopping the banks from raising their rates in say a months time, irrespective of any change in the ECB rate? It never seems to stop PTSB as far as i can see.
Great stuff, with govt interference like this how do they hope to get private investment in order to get the NPRF’s investment in AIB back? Very short sighted decision, especially given AIB never passed on the last two increases.
You couldn’t make this stuff up
Yeah but if you raise interest rates it pushes more people into the cannot pay bracket and so we end up paying anyway, at least this makes repayments more affordable.
More likely it pushes them to restructure or sell. Banks should not be in the business of giving away money.
Why does it feel wrong that banks are passing on a saving to customers ?
Oh no, wait a second ……
News flash – Banks claim PR error and state that it should of read raise rates by 0.25%. The error is set to cost taxpayers a Further 10billion for some reason but banks have decided the double the rate increase to 0.5% because a senior exec was afraid they mightn’t be able to fund the regular replacement of the gold chairs that they use while at their weekly meetings in their ivory tower in the Bahamas.
Instead of posting the new rates in papers banks have simply setup a very easy system in every branch to accommodate these new costs. All customers of the branches should empty their pockets into barrels that are marked “slush funds”. An Taoiseach should simply sign a blank cheque (as they might need more the 10bil, you never know) and make it payable to cash or C#^?s , either way the ecb will know who it’s for!
have your say