Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on the provision of a national flag to every school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16723/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Throughout 2016, there will be ceremonies, events and programmes marking the significance of the National Flag in our historical and cultural narrative in the 100 years since the Rising.

One of the core objectives of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, which was launched on 31st March, is to capture the imagination of our young people so that they may better understand the events of 1916. My Department has been working with the Department of Education and Skills, to ensure that the programme reaches every school in the country.

Key events and activities will include the following:

- there will be a presentation of the National Flag and a copy of the Proclamation by a member of the Defence Forces to every national school in the country;

- work will continue with the Thomas Meagher Foundation, which has been engaged in the provision of the National Flag to secondary schools around the country;

- a special Proclamation Day will take place in all educational institutions on 15th March 2016, which it is envisaged will include the raising of the National Flag, followed by a reading of the Proclamation; and

- an online teaching resource on the National Flag will be developed to support primary and post-primary teachers, which will be available from September 2015.