The Irish government has fallen short of making a commitment that work to restore the last headquarters of the 1916 leaders will be completed in time for commemorations next year.
Campaigners and relatives of those who fought in the Easter Rising told The Irish News last week they feared Dublin’s Moore Street could be a derelict site when the centenary is marked next spring.
They expressed concern that government plans to acquire 14-17 Moore Street and create a commemorative centre had stalled since they were first announced in March.
James Connolly Heron, great grandson of James Connolly, who lay seriously injured in 16 Moore Street as the rebel leaders made the decision to surrender to British forces, said he believed it was “highly unlikely” that work on the yet to be acquired buildings could be completed in time for the 2016 anniversary.
A spokesman for the Republic’s heritage minister Heather Humphreys insisted she was “pressing ahead as quickly as possible” with the transfer of the Moore Street property into state ownership as well as "proposals" to create a permanent commemorative centre to the Rising leaders on the site.
However, the spokesman fell short of confirming that the extensive work required on the buildings would be finished on time, saying: “The minister is looking at the best way to restore the buildings in order to ensure that the Commemorative Centre, the plans for which are being developed in consultation with the 1916 Relatives Association, will open during the centenary year.”
Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys joined education minister Jan O’Sullivan yesterday to launch the Ireland 2016 Schools Programme at Pádraig and Willie Pearse’s former school in Dublin city centre.
Highlights will include the Proclamation for a New Generation project which will see pupils across the Republic asked to write a new proclamation for their own school to reflect the values and hopes of today's generation.
