Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her answer. I know things have progressed recently. However, it is well known that the preparations for the official launch of the 1916 commemorative programme in November were rushed and were undertaken under considerable time pressure. The website for the 100th anniversary commemorative programme for Easter 2016, www.ireland.ie, was only secured a week before the launch on 12 November, according to documents released to The Irish Timesunder the Freedom of Information Act.

The Government faced considerable criticism in the wake of the launch in November, with the official video for the launch, Ireland Inspires, being widely criticised for making no reference to the Easter Rising, even though I note the Minister's reply states that it was to honour those who fought or died in the Rising. The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht also admitted that the Irish version of the programme on the 1916 website came from Google Translate. Thankfully it was quickly removed and replaced by the correct version.

Does the Minister agree that the sequence of events points to a complete lack of priority being given to our national 1916 commemorations? Irish people were rightly enraged by the clear lack of respect being shown at that stage to the hugely significant centenary events next year.

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