Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Beidh mé gasta. Níl agam ach ábhar amháin inniu. The Irish Commemorative Stone, also known as the Black Rock, is a monument in Pointe-Saint-Charles in Quebec. It marks the mass grave of 6,000 Irish emigrants who fled an Gorta Mór and died of typhoid and other diseases. The stone was erected on 1 December 1859 and it was the first monument in North America to the victims of the great hunger. Each year, the community in Montreal remembers those who died and the aid offered to those who were fleeing hunger in Ireland, with a march to the Black Rock. The rock is currently surrounded by roads infrastructure and an industrial estate. However, a group has been established to develop the site as a fitting public monument to the Irish in Montreal, Quebec and all of Canada. The group has secured a large parcel of land around the rock and a commitment to move the roads away from the monument and provide a space for reflection and proper, fitting commemoration. I commend the work of the group and I know colleagues across the House will join me in doing so. While considerable work has been done to develop the plans and secure the site and infrastructure works, there is much more to do.

The Leader will know I have been asking for some time for statements from the Minister of State with responsibility for the diaspora. What I have cited is just one fine example of the kind of great work our diaspora and communities overseas are doing. We should take the opportunity to engage with the Minister of State to hear what support he can offer on this very worthwhile project and many others among our diaspora community.