Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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1192. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which the national Famine commemoration will take place in 2016. [37770/15]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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1193. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on having the annual national Famine commemoration on the same day each year. [37771/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1192 and 1193 together.

The 2015 Famine Commemoration was held in Newry in September. This was the first time the event had been held in Northern Ireland and has been recognised as having been a great success with significant cross-community representation.

While neither the date nor the venue for the 2016 National Famine Commemoration have yet been decided, I would anticipate that the 2016 Commemoration will also take place in the autumn.

As I have previously advised the House, it has not been considered desirable or practical to set a fixed date for the annual Famine Commemoration, given the circumstances that may arise regarding the arrangements, including the choice of site, the availability of the lead person to officiate at the ceremony in any particular year and the general arrangements at community level.