An Taisce has called on Dublin City Council to immediately stop digging up the antique granite pavements at College Green.



The work is being carried out as part of the Public Transportation Gate project.



Representatives from An Taisce voiced their concerns about the works during the public consultation process in March this year.



However, Dublin City Council have pressed on with the development. Now, the National Trust for Ireland, charged with the protection of the country's heritage, has demanded an immediate cessation of works, stating that the setting of the important Bank of Ireland building has been "degraded".



Vista



The organisation said that the antique pavements are complete and intact, having originally been cut and laid to a very high standard.



They said that the granite originally used was of extremely high quality and forms part of the overall vista of the historical city centre location.



"College Green is a designated Conservation Area and of major civic, architectural, historic and tourism importance, where the public realm needs to be maintained and presented to a high standard," said Kevin Duff from the Dublin City Association Planning sub-committee at An Taisce.



"We consider the works presently being carried out to be of substandard quality."



An Taisce said that significant areas of antique pavement are currently lifted adjacent to the northern and southern end of the Trinity College facade.



This has been partly relaid and cement-pointed, which, An Taisce says, would indicate that the necessary skills with regard to lifting, handling and relaying of granite, observing of historic coursing and bonding patterns are not being observed.



Mr Duff said that council workers were replacing the lifted yellow granite with substandard granite.



A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said that they would not cease works and they are not reviewing the situation at the moment.