Eamonn Coghlan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. It is nice to hear my good friend and colleague, Senator Barrett, mention the famous buildings in our history, including one that is close to my heart and that of the Minister, namely, Muckross House. In welcoming the Minister and thanking him for his overview, I also commend him on the work he has done to mark the important anniversaries of our history. In particular, I praise the work of the all-party group on commemorations, which the Minister chairs, and the academic advisory group chaired by Dr. Maurice Manning and ably assisted by Dr. Martin Mansergh. They are taking exactly the right approach on the commemorative programme. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Manning, Dr. Mansergh and John Kennedy in the not so distant past. Many ongoing initiatives are worthy of mention but I was particularly impressed by the way in which the Century Ireland website, which was recently launched, sets the benchmark for the kind of accessible historical resource that will serve us well over the decade. I thank the Minister for supporting for this project.

As the Minister is aware I have the honour of serving on committee A of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, which last year produced a report on the decade of commemorations. We spoke to key individuals and organisations involved in commemorative activity and I believe that the report we produced is balanced and sensitive. The Minister generously acknowledged this in a fine letter to the committee. He also acceded to our request for a meeting with him, and we perhaps we can arrange one after we visit Belfast next month. We noted in particular how commemorative activity in Northern Ireland can be a key part of the process of reconciliation. The work of Belfast City Council's good relations committee and the recent exhibition, entitled Shared History, Different Allegiances, was of an extremely high standard. We noted, too, the particular importance of commemorating the First World War in the east-west element of commemorations. The events of the decade affected all the people of these islands and shaped relations between Britain and Ireland for the ensuing century. The attendance of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Northern Ireland was a moving and historic gesture towards a shared remembrance of the past.

Many people consider remembrance or commemoration of the past as dangerous because they think it might open up old wounds or enflame old antagonisms. It is true we must remain vigilant against those who would exploit the anniversaries for negative purposes, but the decade of commemorations also represents a vital opportunity. By learning more about our past and the history of all the people of this island, we learn more about ourselves and, more important, we learn more about those of other communities and traditions, allowing us to put ourselves in their shoes and gain a better understanding of their perspectives.

We do not have to agree about everything. For some of us, the Easter Rising is the central event of the decade. We can hold this belief proudly and unapologetically. However, that does not mean we can fail to acknowledge the alternative views legitimately held by others. The centenary of the Ulster Covenant was of particular importance to the Unionist community in Northern Ireland and it is important to acknowledge that. I was very pleased to see the First Minister being invited to Iveagh House last year to deliver the Edward Carson lecture in that context.

While much valuable historical research will be carried out over the course of the decade, if commemorations are to be truly successful, they must capture the broader imagination of the public. The past is too important to be left solely to the historians, vital though their role may be. I hope local community initiatives will have a central place in the Government's programme for the decade. The Minister has indicated he will encourage this in every respect.