Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

In 2006, a large military parade in Dublin marked the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising. Since then, a simple dignified military ceremony has taken place in front of the GPO each Easter Sunday. The ceremony starts at noon and lasts approximately 25 minutes. The President lays a wreath and the Taoiseach and the Minister for Defence also have officiating roles. The event involves participants from the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service and the Defence Forces Reserve. The ceremony consists of a reading of the Proclamation by a member of the Defence Forces, the laying of a wreath by the President and a flag raising ceremony. Details of the 2012 ceremony will be published shortly in the national newspapers and the ceremony will be open to the general public.

The Department of Defence has no overall budget for the annual 1916 commemoration. The Defence Forces are not paid additional salaries or expenses for participating at State ceremonies. Expenditure by the Department of Defence normally consists of overtime and travel and subsistence expenses which amounted to approximately €3,300 in 2011 and postage costs which totalled just under €600.

It is felt that a ceremony of this nature is appropriate and constitutes a sustainable commitment in the coming years towards the centenary in 2016.

Special arrangements for the centenary anniversary will be addressed in the context of the forthcoming Decade of Centenaries. The role of the Defence Forces in the organisation of the 1916 centenary celebrations will be considered by the all-party Oireachtas consultation group, which is chaired by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan. The group has met on three occasions, the most recent meeting being on 6 March last.

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