The Green Party has called on the Office of Public Works (OPW) to provide a temporary park on a large site that they own in the North Inner City.The site is situated on Church Street and Hammond Lane between the Four Courts and Smithfield and is over an acre in size. It is the site of the former Maguire and Paterson match factory which was demolished in 2002. However it has been under the ownership of the Office of Public Works for over a decade. An archaeological dig in 2009 revealed traces of an old Viking House, but the site has been vacant and surrounded by a hoarding ever since.Local Election candidate Ciarán Cuffe stated:

"It is unacceptable that large urban sites are left derelict for decades. I have written to the chairman of the OPW Clare McGrath as well as to the Junior Minister Brian Hayes TD urging them to consider at least placing a temporary park on the site."The North Inner City is crying out for more parks and space for children to play. This could be an ideal site for sports and leisure. It would big enough to accommodate a five-a-side football pitch or basketball court as well as trees and planting. Instead it has been an eyesore for over a decade. Will it take another ten years before the OPW decide to do something with the site. Ten years ago the OPW said they wanted to build a Land Registry Office on the site."If they really need more office space they could consider using some of the Dublin Institute of Technology buildings that will be vacated arising from the move of the Institute to Grangegorman. It is unacceptable for the OPW to say they they are retaining the site for 'strategic purposes as they indicated in a Dáil question recently. They should put up or move on and make available the space to the local community. Smithfield has only a handkerchief of greenery on it, and is mostly cobblestones. We deserve better.”