Plans approved by the Government to redevelop the GPO in Dublin city centre have been branded a shameful betrayal of Ireland's proud revolutionary history by Sinn Féin.
Earlier this week, the Government backed plans to redevelop the building into a mixed-use precinct, which would include possible retail components, offices, the retention of a post office and significant cultural use.
Sinn Féin said the Government wants to turn the GPO into a shopping centre and is turning its back on the rich revolutionary history associated with the building.
On RTÉ's This Week, party TD Louise O’Reilly said that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael cannot be trusted on this issue.
"To take the Louvre in Paris for example, they protect and preserve their heritage," she said.
"How we treat the GPO is a measure to how we respect and treat the history and culture of our capital city," she added.
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Ms O'Reilly said the matter is "an issue that is very, very dear to Dubliners and to every person that lives on this island".
"This will be resisted," she added.
"We're bringing a motion to the Dáil on Tuesday and I would encourage all people to engage with it. We need to preserve the GPO. It is a site of incredible historical importance."
In response, Fine Gael's James Geoghegan said that it is the Government’s intention that it "would be put into museum, cultural use" .
"Of all manufactured rows Sinn Féin has been involved in, this one really takes the biscuit," he said.
Deputy Geoghegan said the GPO is "not the building of any political party".
"The GPO is the most important building in the foundation of our State," he said, adding "it's a monument to the heroism of the most ordinary people in this country".
"In the GPO, right now, there are 25 retail units along the Henry Street end of the building," he said.
"The GPO building is an enormous building. In truth what the building has been, until relatively recent time, has been our general post office," he added.
The Fine Gael TD said discussion in relation to the building were about "how do we make the GPO a place that is filled with people again ... and reflects the importance of that building to the foundation of the State."
