Dublin Corporation plans to pave Henry Street with granite from China, because it is cheaper than using Irish granite.
The corporation said it is spending £1.5 million to refurbish the Henry Street-Mary Street area, including £500,000 to be spent on 1,500 tons of granite. "An Irish stone supplier sourced the stone in Xianen in China at roughly half the cost of Irish granite of equivalent standard," the corporation said. The Wicklow Fianna Fail TD, Mr Dick Roche, said the Corporation should use "Irish - preferably Wicklow granite".