Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
87. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will write to the national institutions under her remit requesting that one of them develop a permanent Famine exhibition in the capital. [39836/18]
View answer116. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will raise the possibility of a national Famine museum with the Departments on the national Famine commemoration committee (details supplied). [39710/18]
View answer654. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the possibility of a national Famine museum will be discussed with Departments represented on the national Famine commemoration committee as a stand-alone museum; and if not, if it can be facilitated as a permanent exhibition in a suitable space available to the State. [40033/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 116 and 654 together.
As Deputies are no doubt aware, there are many local museums and other entities around the country that display material relating to the famine, such as the very significant Irish National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, County Roscommon.
As I advised the House in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 761 of 12th July, decisions in relation to the curation and presentation of temporary or permanent exhibitions within State funded museums in Dublin are operational matters for the relevant cultural institutions or other entities concerned.
As Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, I am responsible for ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to commemorate the Great Irish Famine. This year's National Famine Commemoration took place in UCC in May and featured the launch of the Irish Famine Online. This powerful online resource was developed by UCC in collaboration with my Department and the NFCC. The international Famine Commemoration will take place in Melbourne on 28th October, the second time that the international commemoration has taken place in Australia.
At the Committee's meeting on 26th September last I asked that the Committee would commence work on the preparation of a comprehensive programme leading up to the 175th Anniversary of the Famine. I look forward to receiving the Committee's proposals which will encompass the representation of the Famine in our National Cultural Institutions.
