The proposed reinstatement of the Archer's Garage building in Dublin's Fenian Street would amount to no more than a Disneyland project, complained Mr David Norris (Ind). It would not be the garage that had been built in the 1940s, he said.
Mr Norris said he would prefer to see a £1 million fine imposed for unauthorised demolition, with the money being used for heritage project purposes.
Mr Norris's fellow Independent, Mr Feargal Quinn, said it was good news that the garage, which had been knocked down at a holiday weekend, was to be reinstated by the developer following pressure from public opinion on the developer, Dublin Corporation and the Minister for the Environment.
Mr Quinn noted that, according to The Irish Times, the Minister had asked his officials to examine whether a consolidated planning bill currently being drafted could be amended to recoup windfall gains made by developers who demolished listed buildings.
Mr Quinn pointed out that the report stage of a local government Bill was due to be taken in the House today. A much more efficient way of ensuring achievement of the Minister's reported aim would be to include it in this Bill, he contended.
The proposed measure obliged local authorities to record all protected structures as part of their development plan.
Mr Quinn said he was sure the House would agree to a delay of a day or two and to have the Bill amended in order to cater for the problems which had been highlighted by recent developments.
"We are almost at the point of having legislation passed. It seems sinful that the sort of work that took take place over the weekend surreptitiously could happen again without tight controls.
"If the Minister believes tight controls can be introduced let us do it now and let us do it in this Bill and have it reached before the summer recess," said the Independent senator.