Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the permanent monuments that exist to commemorate the Famine; and if he has given any consideration to developing a national permanent monument to commemorate the Famine. [11798/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of memorials, monuments and plaques in towns and villages around the country, which were put in place to commemorate the Great Irish Famine. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be feasible for me to name all such memorials.

In relation to the issue of a national permanent monument to commemorate the Famine, the Deputy will be aware that in 1996 the then Government invited nominations for a suitable location for a national memorial to commemorate the Great Famine and Murrisk in Co Mayo was chosen as the appropriate site. Sculptor John Behan was commissioned by the Government to create a sculpture to commemorate the Great Irish Famine, which was unveiled by the then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, in July 1997.