Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022
195. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if there are plans to mark the death of Arthur Griffith as part of the centenary celebrations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36820/22]
View answerMy role as Minister with responsibility for leading the coordination of the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023 is to help ensure that the challenging events of this important and formative period in our history and related themes, are meaningfully, proportionately and sensitively remembered. The Government's approach to commemorations continues to be underpinned by the guidance of the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations (EAG) and consultation with the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations.
One of the strengths of the programme is the spirit of collaboration and partnership with a rich diversity of stakeholders – including State partners, local authorities, national cultural institutions, institutions of learning, and artists. The Department’s role is to provide support and assistance when required, but many of the programme initiatives are led, organised and curated by individual partners.
For example, under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme, my Department provides funding and support to every local authority to support the curation of community-led commemorative programming. Decisions regarding the inclusion of initiatives within a local authority’s Decade of Centenaries programme are a matter for the individual local authorities. It is important to stress that each local authority is best placed to determine what’s appropriate for their local area, in light of local history and expertise, and to make decisions concerning initiatives to be supported from their funding allocation.
In line with the guidance of the Expert Advisory Group, it is envisaged that one significant State commemoration will be held later this year in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Civil War period, focussing on the themes of remembrance and reconciliation. It is not the intention of the State to mark individual events. The Group also recommends that initiatives which will serve as ‘living legacies’ for the Decade of Centenaries would be particularly beneficial, such as those that highlight the importance of original research and scholarship at national and local level, and promote free, public access to authentic historical sources.
In this context, I would like to highlight the National Library of Ireland’s commemorative activities - the NLI has continued its programme of digitising and sharing tens of thousands of documents as part of its contribution to the Decade of Centenaries, including papers of Arthur Griffith. The material is freely accessible online at www.nli.ie/en/online-catalogue.aspx.
