Dublin City Council have replied to An Taisce's Section 5 submission, Proposed works to enable move of Seanad into the National Museum - NOT EXEMPT.

An Taisce wish to welcome the declaration made by the Planning Department of Dublin City Council in response to our Section 5 submission in relation to the proposed Seanad move into the National Museum on Kildare Street.

It has been the contention of An Taisce that in relation to the proposed development:
(i) The breaching of the external wall of the Protected 19th Century Building to create entrances;
(ii) The attachment of a lift to the façade of the Protected Building; and
(iii) The material change in use of a public amenity to a private space,
would all require Planning Permission and would not qualify as Exempted Development.

The OPW, operating on behalf of The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, also sought a ruling on the question as to whether or not the proposed works would require Planning Permission or qualified for Exempted Development.

On the 8th of December the Planning Department of Dublin City Council informed An Taisce that the proposed development is ‘NOT EXEMPT from the requirement to obtain Planning Permission under section 32 of the Planning & Development Act 2000 (as amended)’.

An Taisce welcomes this ruling and would urge the relevant authorities to now abandon the predatory move against the National Museum, one of Ireland’s finest cultural institutions. Could the political elite spare a thought for the public interest and not just for their own convenience.

Meanwhile An Taisce awaits the planning application that will inevitably come.

ENDS

Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce. Tel: +353 87 241 1995
Dr. Mark Clinton, Monuments & Antiquities Committee, An Taisce. Tel: +353 1 832 2058
email: [email protected]
An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland
www.antaisce.org

Planning Note [1]]

An Taisce’s Section 5 request can be found here https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxEVOTzgFnKETVNvMlNrZEtYemM/view?usp=sharing.

The essence of An Taisce’s request is:

Pursuant to Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended (PDA 2000), we are writing to request a declaration from Dublin City Council (DCC) regarding whether:

1. The breaching of the external wall in 2-3 places of the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street (Protected Structure [RPS 4199]) is or is not development within the meaning of the Planning and Development Act 2000;
2. The attachment of a lift to the façade of the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street (Protected Structure [RPS 4199]) is or is not development within the meaning of the Planning and Development Act 2000;
3. A change of use from a public amenity facility to private office space at the National Museum of Ireland (specifically the ‘Ceramics Room’) would be considered a material change of use or is exempted development within the meaning of the Planning and development act 2000.

About An Taisce

An Taisce is a charity that works to preserve and protect Ireland's natural and built heritage. We are an independent charitable voice for the environment and for heritage issues. We are not a government body, semi-state or agency. Founded in 1948, we are one of Ireland’s oldest and largest environmental organisations.