Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 323 and 324 together.

In 2018, the Government approved the designation of the third Sunday of May each year as the National Famine Commemoration Day, with the arrangements for the holding of the State commemoration on this day or the preceding Saturday, to be decided each year following consultation with the relevant local authority and host community. There is no such Government Decision in respect of the International Event.

The International Famine Commemoration provides diaspora communities the opportunity to remember and reflect on the impact of the famine and the emigration that followed in its wake, and also celebrate the achievements of those who fled Ireland and set up new lives and established thriving communities across the globe.

I am conscious of the importance of providing sufficient notice to ensure that both the national and international famine commemorations provide maximum opportunities for Irish people at home and abroad, communities, schools and ambassadors, time to plan so that this important day can be marked appropriately and offer an opportunity for meaningful reflection. I will continue to work with officials in this regard, to ensure that such notice is provided, while at the same time ensuring there is sufficient flexibility to deliver a meaningful programme at home and abroad.

There are currently no plans to align the dates of the National and International Famine Commemorations. Any such proposal would need to be carefully considered, so as not to unintentionally restrict options for an appropriate International Famine Commemoration event. It is important that the International Famine Commemoration date is flexible so that it can best suit particular opportunities to commemorate the Famine with meaningful and poignant International Events that may not fully align with that third Sunday (or preceding Saturday) in May.

Since its inception in 2008, the National Famine Commemoration has taken place in each province on a rotating basis, and has included host communities from across the island of Ireland. This is particularly fitting, given the legacy and impact of the Great Famine is part of the shared history of this island and the opportunities for engagement with this past that the National Famine Commemoration presents. One such example of this was the 2015 commemoration held in Newry, Co. Down, to coincide with the International Famine Conference.