Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
279. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will consider altering the restrictions on the Decade of Centenaries Historical Strand expenditure (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20046/23]
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 informed by consultation with the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations.
I have allocated almost €2m in funding for local authorities in 2023 under the Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023 to support their leading role in developing community-led commemorative activities during this final year of the Decade of Centenaries.
My Department has developed comprehensive guidance for the allocation of funding to assist local authorities, which is very flexible and wide-reaching. This guidance, together with the supportive framework of guiding principles laid down by the Expert Advisory Group has resulted to date in inclusive and diverse programming across the country. Local communities have fully engaged with the Programme and have led initiatives, including ceremonial events, creative exploration of various themes relating to the Decade, academic research, digitisation of records, imaginative programmes with children and young people – all designed to connect the public with this period of our history.
In addition to the funding provided by my Department, it is, of course, within the discretion of individual local authorities to provide support from within their own resources to local communities who wish to hold events or projects which may fall outside of the departmental guidance.
