Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has a strategy in place for the care and maintenance of national monuments; the way this is integrated with the centenary celebrations of the 1916 Rising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47802/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Commissioners of Public Works have a statutory responsibility under the various National Monuments Acts 1930 - 2004 to undertake the care and maintenance of National Monuments in State care.Additionally, there are a number of Historic Properties under their care which are not designated National Monuments but which are important in a National context for various reasons.

Some National Monuments in the care of the Commissioners are uniquely designated because of their importance in terms of the story of Ireland's struggle for Independence.Sites such as Kilmainham Gaol for example hold a special place in our history and are regarded as key locations where seminal events took place.There are a number of such locations with connotations to the Independence story in the care of the Commissioners.Some of these are formal, National sites, while others are more domestic and personal in character, relating to specific high profile individuals.They include for example:

-Kilmainham Gaol

-Arbour Hill

-The Garden of Remembrance

-The Pearse Cottage, Co. Galway

In addition, there are other locations in the care of the Commissioners which are not formally designated as National Monuments but are regarded as important heritage properties and are managed by the Commissioners as sites with a strong connection to the Independence history.These include:

-Dublin Castle

-St. Enda's, Rathfarnham, Dublin.

While the Commissioners have a statutory duty to maintain and care for these sites on behalf of the State, it is also important to recognise that these places will have a particularly important resonance and a role to play in the era of Commemorations and particularly in the context of 2016.The strategy of the Commissioners is, first and foremost, to continue to maintain these sites in accordance with their statutory remit and to present them to the public either with guided services or with passive interpretation, so that there can be a full appreciation of their importance in the story of the era.Sites such as Kilmainham Gaol, the Garden of Remembrance, Arbour Hill and Dublin Castle will obviously play a significant part in some of the formal State events already announced by the Government for 2016.In planning for the calendar of events at these locations the Commissioners will be guided significantly by the All Party Oireachtas Committee on Commemorations which is chaired by my colleague the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht and which has a key role in this regard.

As well as facilitating events at sites managed by the OPW, it will also be the role of the Office to provide logistical support for many of the planned formal State Commemoration events that will take place in 2016 at, for example, O' Connell St, Kilmainham Gaol and Arbour Hill.This is part of the normal event management support provided by the OPW at State events and arrangements are being made to ensure that the usual comprehensive service will be in place at the required time.

The OPW also has a number of specific projects in hand to enhance the individual site or visitor experience in recognition of the importance of this centenary.These include:

-Provision of new Visitor facilities at Kilmainham Courthouse, adjacent to Kilmainham Gaol;

-Upgrading works to Arbour Hill Cemetery;

-Provision of Universal Access at the Garden of Remembrance;

-Conservation works to Children of Lir Statue in Garden of Remembrance;

-Mounting of a series of 1916 themed exhibitions;

-Cooperation with the provision of new Visitor facilities at Pearse Cottage by Údarás na Gaeltachta and Galway Co. Council.