Redeveloping the General Post Office (GPO) is central to the regeneration of Dublin city centre, the Lord Mayor of Dublin has said.

Councillor Ray McAdam, Fine Gael's candidate in the Dublin Central bye-election, said the scheme should be a flagship for the capital and would benefit residents, businesses and visitors.

He said: "The redevelopment of the GPO presents an opportunity to not only honour our history but also to create a busier, safer and more vibrant O'Connell Street as the major thoroughfare in our capital's city centre.

Citing organisational progress, McAdam noted the recent appointment of a Director General to the Special Purpose Vehicle tasked with delivering the Dublin City Task Force Roadmap. He added: "Now that we have taken a step forward with the appointment of a Director General to the Special Purpose Vehicle leading delivery of the Dublin City Task Force Roadmap, I am looking forward to seeing progress on the redevelopment of the GPO. He continued: "There is potential here for the Government to increase the use of the GPO complex to generate greater activity in the area, while the overall redevelopment can make O'Connell Street a vibrant centre of history, enterprise and culture. It should be the heartbeat of our revitalised capital city.

Arguing for civic and educational uses, he said: "We also need to look at the potential for an educational and creative use for the building. The GPO should be a living civic space that also supports learning, creativity, design and innovation in the heart of the capital. By opening the space up for educational facilities it will generate regular daily footfall, bring fresh energy into the city centre, support surrounding businesses, and contribute to a stronger cultural and civic identity for the street."

Between €200 million and €500 million has been earmarked by Government for the GPO upgrade.

Welcoming political backing, McAdam said: "I welcome the Tánaiste's comments in the Dáil yesterday that we will soon hear the next steps for the GPO project. This project was a key priority for the Tánaiste when he established the Dublin City Task Force and it's great to hear progress is on the way.

He concluded: "The potential to breathe new life into an important landmark right at the centre of the capital is a massive opportunity. We need to see a redevelopment of the building both to preserve our heritage and so it continues to serve future generations in Dublin."