Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider proposing an invitation to the Heads of State or Heads of Government of republics within the European Union to the commemorations for the centenary of the 1916 Rising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40152/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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This is a repeat of my answer to Question no. 8.

The centenary of the Easter Rising in 2016 will be the centre-piece of the Government's decade of commemorations programme. The Taoiseach, launched the outline plans for the commemoration of the Easter Rising 1916 on Wednesday 12^thNovember. These outline plans are now subject to a period of consultation to enable members of the public to comment and to submit ideas in relation to this important commemoration. Details of the proposed plans, and a facility for submitting comments and ideas, can be found on the dedicated website . My colleague, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys T.D., whose Department has lead responsibility for the 1916 commemoration, has also tasked a team from her Department with visiting every county to listen to people's views on commemorating 1916.

Once this consultation process has concluded and final decisions made on the overall programme of commemorative events, the Government will consider the question of attendance by Ireland's international partners.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland's Diaspora are keen to mark this centenary and my Department, through its network of overseas Embassies, is planning a series of initiatives - including talks, community events, exhibitions, seminars and cultural events - to commemorate the events of 1916 and to present Ireland in 2016 to the world. Highlights of this programme will include a major three-week festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in May/June 2016, as well as the premiere of a major documentary on 1916 currently under preparation at Notre Dame University.