Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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636. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if invitations are being extended to relatives of those who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising for the Government's celebratory events; the way relatives can become involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7679/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I, together with my Government colleagues, am committed to ensuring that the commemorations to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising will be inclusive, appropriate and respectful. The relatives of those who fought and those who died during the Rising will play a key role in the Ireland 2016programme and I am actively engaging with them to ensure that will have a central involvement in a number of key State events. I have met with a number of relatives, including representatives of relatives’ groups and individual relatives, to highlight the important role that they will have in the plans to commemorate the centenary of the events of Easter 1916.

I have established a 2016 Project Office within my Department, tasked with co-ordinating all activities relating to the commemoration of 1916. The relevant officials are now liaising with the Department of Defence in relation to matters regarding relatives, including the compilation of lists in this regard for the official events that are to be organised to commemorate the centenary of 1916. The Project Office may be contacted at .

I am also working with the Oireachtas All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations, the Expert Advisory Group and a wide range of stakeholders to seek to ensure that the events of Easter 2016 are a special and poignant tribute to all those involved.