Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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480. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 965 of 16 September 2016, if she will confirm that the 2016 event was the ninth annual famine commemoration, in view of the fact that the initial launch in 2008 included both local input and a formal State ceremony; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37609/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As indicated in previous replies to this House, the inception of the National Famine Commemoration was announced in 2008 by the then Minister of State for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, John Curran T.D.

In his speech at the official reception held in the Custom House on 25^thMay 2008, the Minister of State referred to the intention of the Government to join in with local and regional initiatives towards commemorating the Great Famine with an annual memorial day and also acknowledged the work of those involved in community initiatives in Dublin and elsewhere to remember the victims of the Famine.

The inaugural meeting of the National Famine Commemoration Committee was subsequently held in July 2008. Its main tasks were to consider the most appropriate arrangements for future national commemorations of the Great Famine and to organise such commemorations in 2009 and following years. The official reception held in the Custom House on 25^thMay 2008 complemented a community event held in Dublin that day. However, the National Famine Commemoration held in Skibbereen in 2009 was the first to integrate both local input and formal State ceremonials, and was the first planned and organised by the National Famine Commemoration Committee in close cooperation with the local community.