11 Dec 2013, 13:03
The Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht will continue its hearings on developing a plan to capture the full value of our genealogical heritage at its meeting tomorrow, Thursday, 12th December 2013.
Attending tomorrow’s meeting are: officials from the of Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; National Archives of Ireland; and the National Library of Ireland; as well as representatives from DC Thomson Family History Ireland; the Council of Irish Genealogical Associations; and Ancestry.com.
Michael McCarthy, Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, said: “Tomorrow we will resume our hearings on harnessing the economic, social and historical opportunities of genealogy.
Genealogy has, in recent years, become a fascination for Irish people, as indeed for people worldwide. People want to know more about their forebears and their origins; where they come from and what was happening back then. While many people engage in genealogical research as a personal hobby there is a very important role for the professional genealogist in conducting research for others and in providing information in both hard copy form and also online.
As well as having a very important social dimension in allowing people at home and abroad to trace their roots and establish their family history, genealogy research could provide an economic opportunity. Given Ireland’s world-wide diaspora, genealogy can make an important contribution to enhancing our tourism sector and, as an industry with major potential growth, can contribute to creating employment in Ireland both in genealogical research and in encouraging people to visit Ireland.
By providing co-ordinated genealogical services to people seeking information on their families, relatives and the localities they came from, employment opportunities could be created in many local communities for librarians, archivists and local history tourism initiatives, as well as boosting jobs in the hotel, retail and leisure sectors around the country from increased tourism numbers.
Tomorrow, we will have a chance to get the perspectives of a number of interested parties on developing a plan to capture the full value of our genealogical heritage.”
This meeting will start in Committee Room 4 at 2.15pm on Thursday, 12th December 2013.
Committee proceedings can be viewed online here.
Media enquiries to:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Email: Ciaran.brennan@oireachtas.ie
Membership of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Deputies: James Bannon TD (Fine Gael); Paudie Coffey TD (Fine Gael); Noel Coonan (Fine Gael) Leas-Chathaoirleach; Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (Fine Gael); Barry Cowen (Fianna Fáil); Luke Flanagan TD (Independent); Kevin Humphreys TD (Labour); Michael McCarthy TD (Labour) Cathaoirleach; Sandra McLellan TD (Sinn Féin); Tony Mc Loughlin TD (Fine Gael); Michelle Mulherin TD (Fine Gael); Catherine Murphy TD (Independent); Gerald Nash TD (Labour); Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD; Brian Stanley TD (Sinn Féin).
Senators: Senator Cáit Keane (Fine Gael) Senator Denis Landy (Labour); An Seanadóir Fiach Mac Conghail (Neamhspleách); Senator Catherine Noone (Fine Gael); An Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fáil): Senator Ned O’Sullivan (Fianna Fáil).