Dáil debates

Thursday, 7 July 2016

6:50 pm

Photo of Martin HeydonMartin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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12. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the legacy of the 2016 commemorations; her plans for the remainder of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19843/16]

Photo of Tom NevilleTom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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13. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on the success of the 2016 commemorations; her plans for the remainder of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19841/16]

Photo of Tom NevilleTom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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We are now more than half way through 2016. I would welcome the Minister's views on the legacy of the commemorations and her plans for the remainder of 2016.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.

I am delighted with the success to date of the Ireland 2016 centenary programme, which I was very pleased to launch with the Taoiseach last year. The citizens of Ireland and our young people in particular have engaged with the programme in huge numbers through its various elements. The programme particularly resonated at local level and I am delighted that so many local community groups and organisations, with support from their local authorities, are continuing to hold a wide range of exciting events and commemorative initiatives.

Easter weekend saw more than a million people on the streets of Dublin for a series of commemorative, reflective and celebratory events, which were a great source of pride for all of our citizens. Feedback from members of the public and the media indicated the very positive engagement of the general public with the commemorative events, as well as the extent to which citizens felt a great sense of national pride and respect during this historic time.

I have no doubt that the Ireland 2016 centenary programme has already facilitated a heightened sense of shared identity and pride of country, but there are still a significant number of events planned for the remainder of the year, including some major national cultural and academic events as well as many local events. My Department will also be placing a special emphasis on the Re-imagine phase of the programme over the coming months to consider the long-term legacy of 2016, building on the momentum and very positive public responses to the programme to date.

My officials and I will be engaging with our partners in the arts community, the national cultural institutions and local communities over the coming weeks to build on the work to date and to ensure that the positive lessons from the Ireland 2016 centenary programme are harnessed and built on for the future. I am also committed to ensuring that the ambitious capital programme will be implemented in full and that the permanent reminder projects funded under the Ireland 2016 centenary programme become a lasting legacy for all our citizens.

As I said earlier, the Ireland 2016 centenary programme is a year-long programme. The commemorations continue across the seven strands of the programme, with a particular focus on the Re-imagine element. A State commemoration will be held in Glasnevin on 3 August to mark the anniversary of the execution of Roger Casement, similar to the ceremonies held in Kilmainham during April and May. On that day a free family open day and UN Expo will be held at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, focusing on Ireland's role in peacekeeping and the role of Irish Aid.

On 3 and 4 September the annual Electric Picnic festival will have a special Ireland 2016 theme, including an exploration of future possibilities. My Department will conduct a series of structured consultation meetings with Ireland 2016 partners, including other Departments and agencies, to discuss the legacy of the Ireland 2016 centenary programme and also with the local authorities to discuss the experience of the programme to date and how they can build on this positive engagement for the benefit of future community initiatives.

Photo of Tom NevilleTom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her extensive response. I am fortunate to have been elected to this House in 2016. I am privileged and humbled to be here to represent my county in this centenary year. The commemorations have helped to create a sense of healthy patriotism in a new generation of Irish people, particularly younger members. I visited many primary schools across County Limerick for the raising of the blue flag. The promotion within their speeches of multiculturalism and inclusiveness, including their pro-European rhetoric, was welcome.

As a returning emigrant of the economic crash of 2008, I would like to know if, in the context of the diaspora, there are any plans to put in place for 2017 and 2018 initiatives along the lines of The Gathering and the Ireland 2016 centenary programme and so on, which were very successful in that regard.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Yes. We had a successful diaspora programme within the 2016 commemoration programme which I would like to build on. It gave us an opportunity to showcase our tremendous wealth of culture and arts abroad. I want to continue that engagement, which was overseen by Culture Ireland, which developed the Mise Éire/I am Ireland programme. A huge amount of work was also undertaken by our embassy network, which allowed our diaspora to reconnect with Ireland. Feedback on the programme from the embassies has been very positive. Inspiring Ireland is a collaborative online project developed by Ireland 2016 and the Royal Irish Academy.

7 o’clock

It will produce a programme of fresh and innovative online exhibitions rolling out this year. This will enable the diaspora to connect with our cultural heritage.

7:00 pm

Photo of Tom NevilleTom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I reiterate that when members of the diaspora, be they in Bondi Beach in Australia, Brooklyn in New York, London, Canada and many other places, see these events on the web at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m., it is extremely important that they really connect with them. We need to keep that connection with the diaspora. I welcome the Minister's comments and initiatives, hope to see them over the lifetime of this Government given the economic recovery we are experiencing and hope that the funding would be married with that.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy about the schools programme. This was a very successful programme where our national flag was delivered to every primary school in the country by a member of the Defence Forces. I acknowledge the role the Defence Forces played in the commemorations. There was a great sense of pride on Easter Sunday when we saw our Defence Forces march down O'Connell Street. They delivered flags to all primary schools. Secondary schools came to Croke Park to deliver their flags. As the Deputy noted, the children set out their vision for the future on Proclamation Day. He is right. It was about inclusivity and the acceptance of diversity and was very pro-European. The children's vision for Ireland in the future augurs well for this nation. It was surprising to see how in touch the young people were with the various issues. We have a legacy from 2016 on which I want to build because there is a sense of civic pride and national identity that has not been expressed in a long time. This is something I want to work on in terms of the legacy of 2016.

Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, replied to with Written Answers.