Latest: Committee throws out petition to remove Prince Albert statue from Leinster House
An Oireachtas committee has thrown out a petition to remove a statue of Prince Albert from the grounds of Leinster House.
Part of the decision was the fact the Dáil doesn't actually own the statue.
The Petitions Committee also said the artistic work should be appreciated despite the subject, after claims it was a relic of colonialism.
Committee Chair Sean Sherlock said you don't need to tear out the pages of history to turn them over.
“It is the view of this committee that the statue should absolutely and utterly remain,” said Sherlock.
“We are saying, from a technical point of view, that the petition is deemed inadmissible because it’s seeking to ask us to do something that we do not have the power to do.”
The Taoiseach says he doesn’t know what all the fuss is about over the Prince Albert Statue.
A member of the public wants it removed from the grounds of Leinster House amid claims its a symbol of British rule.
An Oireachtas Petitions Committee will discuss the matter today.
But Leo Varadkar does not think it is an issue.
He said: "I have no objection to Prince Albert being on Leinster lawn, I think it is part of our history.
"I have no problem with the statue quite frankly, it has been there for a hundred years, I don't know what the fuss is about."
Dublin City Councillor is calling for a statue of Prince Albert on the grounds of Leinster House to be put in a museum.
An Oireachtas Petitions Committee is set to discuss the matter later today.
A member of the public asked for it to be removed, claiming that it is a symbol of British rule.
Independent Councillor Mannix Flynn believes that it should be moved from its current position.
"I believe it should be removed, but I don't believe it should be removed entirely out of public view, I think it should be consigned to the Collins' Barracks," he said.
"It should be put on display there as an example of such memorialisation.
"Don't forget that the person who created this piece, Mr [John Henry] Foley, was from Montgomery Street in north inner city Dublin [since renamed Foley Street], so he's an Irish artist. It is a worthy work."