Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the Government has plans to commemorate the civil war in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5148/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I am committed to ensuring that the State's approach to the remembrance of the Civil War and all of those who lost their lives during those years, is based on the respectful, sensitive, measured and authentic ethos that has become the hallmark of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.  Historical accuracy, academic integrity, and archival discovery are key tenets of the programme - following the centenary timeline of the historical events of the period.  It is important that our history is faithfully presented, even when the historical record is distressing.  We must acknowledge the great tragedy of all of the lives that were lost or irrevocably altered during those divisive and traumatic years.  

Community-led commemoration has an important role in remembering complex historical events that have particular significance within counties, parishes, and communities, particularly during the process of the establishment of the new, independent State in the midst of civil war.  The Community Strand of the Programme involves a collaborative approach between the State, the local authority network, and local communities, with my Department providing funding to each local authority.  

A three-day conference, titled 'History, Memory and Legacy - Civil War in Kerry and Beyond: A Centenary Conference’, will take place in Siamsa Tíre, Tralee, from 23rd to 25th February, to mark the centenary of the civil war in County Kerry. This multi-disciplinary conference will examine all aspects of the civil war, within the local context of the county’s experience and the broader national context. 

The conference proposals have been endorsed by the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations.  My Department is supporting the conference with funding to Kerry County Council, under the Community Strand of the 2023 Decade of Centenaries Programme.  Kerry County Council is also very supportive of the plans and this is a key event in the county’s commemorative programme for 2023.