Pat Rabbitte
Question:6 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach if the State has plans to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1913 lockout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1249/03]
Ceisteanna – Questions. - Commemorative Events.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:7 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach the plans his Department has to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the 1803 Rising led by Robert Emmet and of his execution by the British Government. [1650/03]
Enda Kenny
Question:8 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach if the Government plans to commemorate the 1803 Rising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2427/03]
Joe Higgins
Question:9 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if there are plans for a State commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the 1913 Lockout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3283/03]
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:10 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach if his Department plans to mark the 90th anniversary of the 1913 Lockout. [6323/03]
Trevor Sargent
Question:11 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the plans his Department has to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the 1803 Rising led by Robert Emmet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7296/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 11, inclusive, together.
As I said in the course of my address at the launch of the programme of the Robert Emmet bicentenary commemoration on 20 September, 2002, a significant proportion of this year's commemoration budget will go to the Robert Emmet Association. Last year, €7,000 was paid to the association to cover expenses already incurred and it is expected that this year approximately €40,000 will be provided on receipt of costings of the details of the planned programme. The programme consists of publications, lectures, conferences and public events to commemorate the lives of Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, Sarah Curran, Thomas Russell, Jemmy Hope, Michael Dwyer and Thomas Moore.
While it is general policy to commemorate significant anniversaries of major historical events, preference is generally given to 50th, 75th and centennial anniversaries. There are no plans, therefore, to mark the 90th anniversary of the 1913 lockout.
Does the Taoiseach plan to indirectly commemorate the 1913 lockout by legislating for the right to trade union representation, which was the issue involved in that event? It is ironic that 90 years later, the right to trade union recognition – meaning representation – is not guaranteed by law. What is the Taoiseach's disposition with regard to the matter?
There are very limited resources in the budget to celebrate directly or indirectly anything other than 50th, 90th and 100th anniversaries. That is appropriate. The discussion of recognition issues is ongoing at EU level and within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I do not know if there are legislative proposals to be brought forward, but commitments were made in the programme for Government to continue the discussions.
Does the Taoiseach anticipate that the thorny question of trade union recognition will be resolved through the charter or social partnership?
That is how the debate is going in Europe.
Does the Taoiseach believe the right to trade union membership and representation should be guaranteed by the Constitution or enshrined in legislation now that 90 years have passed since the 1913 lockout? The right to be a member of a trade union is certainly underscored but the imperative of employers to accept trade union membership within their workforce and to recognise and negotiate with the representatives of workers is something that needs to be guaranteed in law. I ask the Taoiseach if he would consider this an appropriate measure to undertake in this current year, the 90th anniversary of the dreadful events Mr. Murphy and others visited upon the workers of the city of Dublin and elsewhere.
In relation to Question No. 7 regarding the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the 1803 rising and the execution of Robert Emmet, the Taoiseach indicated in his response that a sum of €47,000 had been allocated. With an office working in support of commemorative work and programmes by civic society during the course of the year, does the Taoiseach agree that €47,000 is a derisory figure? This is a commemoration not only of Robert Emmet but also of Thomas Russell, Michael Dwyer an Ghleanna, Anne Devlin and Sarah Curran. These and other major figures in Irish history came together at a crucial and critical time. Would the Taoiseach consider it appropriate for the Government to undertake some special project in the course of this year to duly recognise the role and contribution of these many brave and eminent people? There is great public interest in Emmet, his contemporaries and his time. I saw the Emmet memorial in San Francisco before I saw the Dublin memorial which is buried among the bushes—
The George Bushes.
Is there any chance that the Emmet memorial may be placed in a more appropriate location within the city so that the citizenry and visitors would be able to recall his contribution and pay homage in their own quiet way?
In answer to the first question, I am not involved in discussions between the Tánaiste and the trade unions but those matters are set out in the programme and they will be pursued in that way.
I have attended the launching and opening events of the commemorative programme. It is not the view of the organisers that the sum is a derisory amount. I only have a total budget of €63,000 for this commemoration. There are perhaps others ways of accessing funding. It has taken practically all the resources I have available for the year. I am very supportive of the commemoration. I have worked with the people involved for the past two or three years and I continue to lend my support and will do anything that is helpful. The Office of Public Works would perhaps be the appropriate agency to assist with the placing of the monument.
Does the Taoiseach agree that it is entirely appropriate that his Government would not have any plans to celebrate or commemorate 1913 because many of the key policies on which the Government rests would be anath ema to the men and women who fought to establish trade unionism and the rights of workers and their leaders, the great socialists such as James Connolly and Jim Larkin? I refer to the privatisation of public services, the free rein given to rackrenting landlords and land speculators, the huge proportional shift in wealth, over which the Taoiseach has presided, from working people to those with wealth and interest. I ask the Taoiseach what he thinks Robert Emmet who rose up prematurely and tragically against landlordism would make of the fact that English landlordism has now been replaced by almost as virulent a form of Irish landlordism which makes life extremely difficult for people trying to put a roof over their heads and trying to live a decent life?
I do not agree with anything Deputy Higgins says on this issue.
Does the Taoiseach not stand for privatisation?
The Deputy knows that the vast majority of trade unionists vote for my party and by extension, this Government. He has asked me what I think of Robert Emmet. I think a great deal of him. Over Christmas I read two books which have been published for the bicentenary. I do not consider that Emmet rose up against landlordism because that was not his aim in the rebellion.
I congratulate the Taoiseach for reading the two books.
The Taoiseach and Members of the House will be aware that Anne Devlin and Sarah Curran were both closely associated with Robert Emmet and are both associated with Rathfarnham in south County Dublin. A broad-based community group has been formed there to celebrate and mark the bicentenary year. I understand that a piece of sculpture sited in the open air is being actively considered. I ask the Taoiseach if it would be appropriate for this group to contact his office for assistance in furthering this project?
I suppose they are also members of Fianna Fáil.
They are if they have any sense.
The resources are available from my budget for the commemorative year. The group is entitled to make an application to the central committee which is overseeing all the commemorative groups.
The Taoiseach says there are no plans for the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the 1913 lockout. Will he refer to that event by strengthening the charter of fundamental rights being debated by the European Union which proposes that trade union membership would become a legal entitlement?
Will he agree that Robert Emmet might not be all that keen to have his life commemorated because it was not his life that he valued rather the objectives for which he stood and died? Will he agree that there should be more focus on Robert Emmet's message of inclusiveness and equal opportunity in society for both men and women as well as for people from different backgrounds? The widening gap between rich and poor indicates to me that Robert Emmet would probably prefer not to be commemorated. This nation has not yet fulfilled his objectives for a fair republic where everybody is treated equally. I suggest that should be the focus of the commemoration rather than giving some kind of sentimental history lesson which will miss the point of why Robert Emmet died.
The commemorative programme has been in preparation for a number of years. I participated in the programme, I launched it in City Hall six months ago and I am offering it my support. It is not possible to change that programme at this point in the year. I support the programme and I had my say in what is being planned. People always remember the one line of Robert Emmet's speech but there is far more to the man than that one line about his epitaph.