Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

690. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way her Department will spend the €4 million allocated for the centenary commemorations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48291/14]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have secured an allocation of €4 million in current funding to support the development of an integrated national plan focused on the commemoration of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. This allocation is in addition to the capital provision of €22 million, which will be allocated in 2015 to a number of flagship projects. The allocation of €4 million will be used to engage with and support a wide range of activities and events by interested groups, including local community groups and the arts, as well as Irish language projects. There will also be a special emphasis on education projects, as recommended by the Expert Advisory Group on Commemorations. A widespread public consultation process is now underway in order to encourage and facilitate the involvement of ground-up initiatives in the wider commemorative programme. I look forward to working with the Oireachtas All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations, the Expert Advisory Group and a wide range of stakeholders over the coming 18 months to make the events of Easter 2016 a very special and poignant tribute to all those involved.