Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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484. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the commemoration committee in his Department has considered the proposal for a sculpture piece by (details supplied) for the centenary of the 1916; if he has approved the proposal or not; if not when a decision is likely to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23222/14]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the proposal referred to by the Deputy and would be pleased to see the project progress to completion. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that, as memorials to be located in public space, sculptures cannot be considered solely on their artistic merit. Issues of location and context are essential features of any proposal that is brought forward for consideration. Making use of all available capital resources, the progress of certain projects, including those outlined in my statement on the Budget in the House on 16^thOctober 2013 and several others included in the statement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 13^thMay 2014,has been prioritised with a view to their completion for the centenary of the Easter Rising. Accordingly, I am not in a position at this time to commission sculptures nor arrange for new monuments in the context of the centenary commemorations.