Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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347. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to develop a permanent exhibition to the famine in the National History Museum of Ireland in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42311/13]

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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349. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to establish an official record database of the famine in the National Museum of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42313/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 349 together.

I refer the Deputy to my previous answers in this regard. I have been advised by the National Museum of Ireland that it collects material of national and regional importance where a connection with the Great Famine is verifiable. I understand that the Museum is in possession of a number of objects relating to the Famine that are categorized broadly into collections but that there are no plans at this time to develop and mount a permanent exhibition.

The Deputy will appreciate that matters such as the determination of exhibitions and/or the establishment of official databases are day-to-day operational matters for the National Museum and that I, as Minister, have no statutory responsibility in relation to such matters.