Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not think anyone is hung up on there being two Bills. What is important is that a date is fixed for the commemoration. I have raised this issue a number of times inside and outside of this House. In 2016, following the an Gorta Mór commemoration in Glasnevin Cemetery, I issued a statement in which I called for a commemoration to take place on a fixed Sunday each year, rather than on a date chosen each year to fit in with the schedules of the Taoiseach or the Minister. The point I was making is that if we had a fixed date for the commemoration we could plan for the future. I agree with the proposal to move the location of the commemoration each year but I think a date for it should be fixed.

There is a family in my constituency, the Blanch family, who have been highlighting this issue for many years. The family has held many commemorative events at the memorial along the quays in Dublin and has tried to engender interest in the issue. They recently distributed lumper potatoes in my local area, including to schools, to encourage people and children to talk about an Gorta Mór. What happened at the time was described as a famine but we know there was a considerable amount of food in Ireland and that, unfortunately, it was shipped out. Consequently, the choices of the poor were narrowed to starvation or to emigration in some cases. We know what happened to those who tried to emigrate on the so-called Famine ships and so on. Deputy Tóibín outlined the number of people who died while travelling across the seas. The Deputy is right that we were not taught this in schools. It was almost like the Famine was an embarrassment. There was clearly a silence around what happened and not only in 1847 but the period leading up to it. The lumper potato was susceptible to blight. For those who have never come across one, it has a very thin skin. I have grown these potatoes, so I know the difficulties around growing them. For those who have not come across a blighted potato, it is absolutely rotten and stinking. It is a reminder to us all of the awful events and scenes witnesses throughout this land.

It is interesting that people abroad commemorate the Famine more than people in Ireland do. There is something wrong with our psyche if we try to ignore this awful harm that occurred. It was a catastrophe. Some would describe it as a genocide. We all agree that it needs to be remembered and those who died need to be commemorated. There is much that the Minister, in terms of her job, can do. I was in Kerry recently, where I was shocked to come across a so-called Famine bowl, in which the millet was made into gruel for people who were starving, being used for builder's rubble. This should not be allowed to happen. The Blanch family have asked that we collate items dating back to that period. We also need to identify the graves, many of which are in workhouses around the country.

We need to a lot more than just commemorate the day and remember those who died. As spokesperson for foreign affairs, what is important to me is that we try to prevent future famines so as to prevent people starving. The important work which Irish Aid does in this regard across the poorest regions in the world is something of which to be very proud. I support this Bill. As I said earlier, I am not hung up on any particular day but we need to fix the commemoration in stone.

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