Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House and support the comments of Senator Norris, who made it clear that the Minister's bona fides in this area are well established. I have no doubt he will bring to this project the same enthusiasm, engagement and commitment which we in Kerry know of so well. In that, he will have the full support of my party. This is something that embraces us all; it is for everybody and is not exclusive to anybody.

The decade in question was obviously a crowded, exciting and dramatic time in our history. It opened up with John Redmond pressing ahead with the old Home Rule movement he inherited from Parnell, Dillon and others and it finished up with foundation of the Irish Free State. A lot happened in the interim, including the Great War and, of course, our own declaration of independence and the subsequent War of Independence. All of these issues will have to be commemorated and observed in a fitting and sensitive manner. I welcome the tone of the Minister's address in this regard. All of these things define us as we are, and whether we came from a republican or from a Unionist tradition, everybody's history is precious to them. It was L.P. Hartley who said, "The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there". Every generation tends to utilise the endeavours of previous generations to justify its own acts and activities. The classic example of this in the period would have been Pearse's oration at the grave of O'Donovan Rossa, where he invoked the patriotism of O'Donovan Rossa to justify what he was prepared to do in the following year in 1916.

We have to be sensitive and careful when we are dealing with another generation. My interpretation of history may not tally with that of somebody else. It is important, if political parties get involved in this - and I am sure they will have their own ideas too - to note that no one political party in this country has ownership of the past or of commemorating the past. I hope that what will be done by the Government will be done on behalf of the State and of all the people, and that it will exclude nobody and no section of our society, North or South.

In 1966, as Senator Norris said, we were a young, emerging nation and, 50 years on from 1916, we clearly celebrated that in, I suppose, a triumphant and brash way. We were probably entitled to it. We had arrived; we were on the national stage. Fifty years on, we have to be more mature and less militaristic. I hope we will not see too much of armies parading around the place, flyovers and that kind of thing. For the majority of the population of the country, 1916 is still the one central event of the decade, or so I would maintain. We must obviously give it a certain priority while not excluding the people who took part in the Great War, fighting on the side of Great Britain, and other traditions.

The Minister asked for suggestions. To go back to Senator Ó Murchú's point about the celebratory aspect, and the Minister is the perfect person to deal with this, I would like to see the arts coming to the fore as part of the commemorative process. I refer in particular to music, poetry and theatre. Senator Ó Murchú referred to "Seachtar Fear, Seacht Lá", which was the Dr. Bryan McMahon pageant in Croke Park which we remember so well. Perhaps Senator Mac Conghail might have some ideas as to how the Abbey Theatre, which had such a central part in our nationalist revival, can become involved.

I know the Minister is cautious about the budgetary aspect but it might be an idea for him to create some kind of centenary bursary whereby the arts could be supported. In 1966, one of the best initiatives was the creation of the 1916 scholarships for students, which the Minister might reconsider.

Education is becoming more and more expensive. Although to a certain extent we have free education, many young students would benefit from patronage. Perhaps the Minister could use this as a possible way of celebrating 1916 and all of the other events.

It is important that these events are celebrated at community level, as every village and town would like to be associated with the celebrations. Obviously there will be some flagship commemorations, most likely in Dublin, the North or wherever is appropriate, but I would like to see something for everybody in all communities.

In 1966 RTE commissioned a fantastic set of interviews with people who survived the 1916 Rising. I do not know what happened to them but I have an idea they were destroyed. Will the Minister examine whether there is any possibility of saving them? The media will play an important role and I commend The Irish Times on its excellent series of articles commemorating the 1912 Home Rule Bill. I look forward to The Irish Times producing similar articles to celebrate the 1913 Lockout and the 1916 Rising.

I do not raise my next point in a political partisan way and I have discussed it with the Minister previously. It is appalling that Eamon de Valera has not been celebrated or acknowledged in any way in our capital city. Whatever one's views of the politics of all of our great leaders of the past, such as Parnell, Isaac Butt, Collins, Griffith, Cathal Brugha, Connolly and all of the other leaders, they are commemorated in the city. It would be a magnanimous gesture by the Minister if in this process he re-established the identity of Eamon de Valera, who has been reviled by revisionist politicians. Neil Jordan did a great deal of damage to him. I appeal to the Minister to examine this and I am quite serious about it. It would be a gesture greatly appreciated if he were to take it on.