Seanad Report: The Dublin chemist shop associated with Bloomsday in Joyce's novel Ulysses should be acquired compulsorily by the city authority, Mr David Norris (Ind) urged. He said he was grateful to The Irish Times for carrying an extensive article yesterday on Sweny's of Lincoln Place.
Repeating his request that the neglect of this building be taken up with the appropriate Minister, Mr Norris said that he had in the past accurately predicted that there would be a fire there.
"An elderly man was very seriously injured. The proprietor of the building ignored notices, letters and even court decisions. This cannot be tolerated. A citizen has been seriously injured as a result of this neglect."
Mr Norris asked the Leader of the House, Mrs O'Rourke, to redouble her efforts in this regard to avoid a worse tragedy. Since there was a mechanism to compulsorily acquire such a building, it should be done as rapidly as possible.
Mrs O'Rourke said she would take the matter up with Dublin City Council.
Meanwhile, two Fianna Fáil members advocated that Pádraig Pearse be suitably commemorated in the new layout of O'Connell Street in Dublin.
Mr Labhras Ó Murchú thought it was particularly significant that a poll carried out by the Sunday Independent had shown overwhelming support for an appropriate form of commemoration.
Dr Maurice Hayes (Ind) said he was relieved to find that there was one item in the Sunday Independent which at least one member of the House took pleasure from.
Dr Martin Mansergh (FF) agreed with the suggestion that a statue of Pearse should be erected in O'Connell Street.