Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for coming in today. I am glad to see he is taking the decade of commemorations so seriously. As Senator Ó Murchú has said, the commemorations are in good hands.

This is an issue on which we need leadership and it is evident the Minister is taking the lead. From 1912 to 1922 was a pivotal decade in Irish history. As Lenin once put it: "There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen." What was true in Lenin's time appears to be true now and this time of flux, change and difficulty seems an apt time for this nation to reflect on and commemorate a decade in which there was significant change. The decade that commenced with the introduction in Westminster Parliament of the Home Rule Bill in April 1912 remains the most momentous of our modern history. The commemoration of this decade will also include the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in 1916 and I welcome the fact that it will be central to the commemorations. The decade concluded with the foundation of the Free State in 1922.

Recently, Stephen Collins wrote a very thoughtful article on the decade in which he rightly pointed out that the importance of the labour movement and the struggle for women's rights in the making of modern Ireland were also generally overlooked in popular history. These too need to be acknowledged in the commemorative events and I suggest they are worthy of consideration by the Minister when planning the implementation of the various programmes. What was a struggle for sovereignty and the recognition of a nation was also intertwined with the struggle for recognition of women as equals, and the struggle to recognise the rights of workers. Indeed, I am heartened to see that the role of women and workers in bringing about our transition from the campaign for Home Rule to the establishment of an autonomous Irish State has been noted.

This decade was one of the most momentous of modern Irish history and requires a comprehensive commemorative programme that acknowledges its importance. I am heartened this is what seems to be on the horizon for us. I am excited by the possibilities this decade of commemorations presents us with and I am keen to ensure that our history is understood in an enhanced way. As the Minister said, it is important for young people to be apprised of the events of the decade and this is something we should try to bring to the schools. Perhaps this could be part of the interaction with various organisations.

I understand that while the intention remains that the commemorative programme will run through to 2022, at this point in time we are focussing on the programme up until 2016. This makes sense as it marks a halfway point in the decade. We can also expect an election around then, which could be a distraction. It seems appropriate to plan up until that point for now and to consider the plans more fully then up to 2022. I am glad to see that the Minister is supported by the Oireachtas all-party consultation group as well as the advisory group on centenary commemorations, chaired by Dr. Maurice Manning and comprising many distinguished academics. This committed, distinguished body of people will ensure that the celebrations are accurate and appropriate. It will be their task to ensure that the commemorative arrangements will be aligned with the historic timeline of the centenary anniversaries. I have no doubt that the group will do a fantastic job in assisting the Minister on that.

I am sure the Minister hopes that the commemorative programme will strengthen public interest in our national history and encourage original research at local and national level. I feel that original research will undergo a period of rejuvenation on the part of both citizens and expatriates who left the island long ago. As the Minister said in his contribution the diaspora projects such as World Irish and the 2013 Gathering will also play a role in augmenting this reconnection with our history. These events in the augmented schedule of commemorations will complement rather than replace the established arrangements for annual commemorations which include the national day of commemoration and the commemorations held at the GPO and at Arbour Hill and the annual commemoration of the Great Famine.

As a Dublin representative I would encourage the Minister to consider special commemorative arrangements for events such as the millennium anniversary of the battle of Clontarf in 2014. It is an anniversary of great significance in Dublin and such an event could be used to boost the profile of the north Dublin coast.

A debate continues about funding for the arts. It is worth remembering that the budget for the arts is 0.5% of the health care budget. I am sure the Minister is acutely aware of this statistic. We must aim for value within the arts sector. I am interested to note that the three main galleries, the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Crawford Gallery, have together presented a detailed proposal on how backroom services can be shared. This proposal is currently being considered and I hope that this positive suggestion yields dividends.

The Minister is quoted in today's edition of The Irish Times with regard to the merging of the cultural institutions. My understanding is that no decision has been made-----