Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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342. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht where the famine commemoration will take place in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41865/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that, as Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, I am responsible for ensuring on behalf of the Government that appropriate arrangements are in place to commemorate the Great Irish Famine. Details of the work of the National Famine Commemoration Committees since 2008 in implementing a varied and diverse annual programme of events to coincide with the commemorations are available on the relevant pages of my Department's website at and on a dedicated website at

The National Famine Commemoration rotates between the four provinces of Ireland and in 2015 is due to take place in Ulster. I and the officials in my Department will be working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of the Taoiseach and all relevant stakeholders, North and South, to ensure that this event will be a fitting tribute to those who perished in Ulster during the Great Famine. I would like to emphasise that the National Famine Commemoration is, and will remain, an inclusive event, which recognises the significant impact of the famine on all communities on the island of Ireland. The main objective of the National Famine Commemoration Committee is to ensure that all victims of the Great Irish Famine are remembered in a dignified manner and, as Chair of this Committee, I will seek to ensure that this work continues.