Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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73. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to ensure that children and young persons are involved in the Ireland 2016 centenary programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43478/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Together with my Government colleagues, I am committed to ensuring that the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme engages with children and young people to the greatest extent possible.My Department’s Ireland 2016 Project Team has been working with the Department of Education and Skills to ensure that the Youth and Imaginationstrand of the Programme reaches every school in the country. The programme of activities focused on the education sector was launched in September of this year and the response to date from educators and young people has been extremely positive and encouraging. There has been a particularly welcome response to the delivery of our National Flag by the Defence Forces to primary schools throughout the country.

My Department has also been working with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to support the engagement of children and young people outside of the formal education sector. Six consultations have taken place with children aged 8-12 and with young people aged 13-17 from around the country on the theme of 'Imagining Our Future' . The outcome of these consultations will be compiled in a report to be presented by children and young people to Ministers and decision-makers at a major young people's event next year.

Further details in relation to all of the events taking place under the Youth and Imagination strand of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme can be found on the website . As well as this comprehensive programme for schools, communities are also developing plans at local level for a whole range of events across the country and I hope that children and young people will also get involved in their local communities and take part in the various events.