Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are any moves to have the remains of Larkin, Allen and O'Brien, The Manchester Martyrs, brought back to Ireland for re-interment; and if he will make a statement on their progress. [6222/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Excellent and painstaking research by a number of independent groups and individuals continues in an effort to identify the precise location of the remains of Michael Larkin, William O'Brien and William Allen, known collectively as the Manchester Martyrs. Following their hanging on 23 November 1867, the remains of the three men were buried in Strangeways prison. To facilitate construction works in Strangeways in 1991, the remains of some sixty prisoners were exhumed and cremated, including those of the three men. The ashes were reburied in caskets at Blackley Cemetery. Researches to date have not expressly identified any of those remains as those of the three men. The British authorities have advised that there are no surviving records of prisoners buried in any of the Manchester gaols prior to 1880.

Despite these difficulties, the independent groups and individuals continue their efforts to achieve a positive identification of the remains of the three, either individually or as a group. However, pending such positive identification, the question of repatriation to, and re-interment in, Ireland does not arise. Officials in my Department have met with interested groups and, together with our Embassy in London, continue to monitor developments.

The Deputy may also be interested to know that the Irish Government, through the Díon Fund, provided £5,483 last year to the Department of Humanities at the University of Central Lancashire to conduct an educational and research project on the history of the Manchester Martyrs.