Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Mar 1997

Vol. 477 No. 1

Written Answers. - Famine Commemoration.

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

83 Mr. B. Smith asked the Taoiseach the projects funded to date under the Government's Famine Commemoration Programme; the level of funding per project; the projects which will be funded in 1997; the amount per project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8592/97]

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mrs. Doyle)

As Chairperson of the Government's Famine Commemoration Committee I have been privileged to fund numerous events and projects commemorating the Great Famine in Ireland and abroad.

At local level my committee has supported the following events and projects:

		£
Antrim	Renovation of Friar's Bush Famine Cemetery, Stranmillis Road, Belfast	1,000.00
Carlow	Self Help International — Eritrea potato seed famine relief project [a potato and maize seed project, by the Carlow based Self Help International organisation, with particular emphasis on providing food security in Eritrea through the cultivation of potatoes from the seed of the potato flower rather than from seed potatoes.]	11,500.00
	Teagasc famine relief potato blight resistance research project Teagasc involvement in research work to breed blight resistant potatoes in the context of the work of the International Potato Centre, in Mexico	30,000.00
Clare	Renovation of Famine Burial Ground, Tuamgraney	1,000.00
Cork	Renovation of Carr's Hill Famine Cemetery, Cork	1,000.00
	Renovation of Bandon Famine Graveyard	1,000.00
	Publication of Irish Language Famine Manuscripts	150.00
	Renovation of Kildonnery Famine Graveyard	1,000.00
	Plaque at Macroom Workhouse	1,000.00
Donegal	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Donegal Town	1,000.00
Dublin	APCK booklet on the Famine	500.00
	Women's Archive Famine Exhibition	15,000.00
	Blanchardstown Famine Oratorio	2,500.00
	Great Irish Famine Event	10,000.00
	Charlie Lennon Famine Suite	5,000.00
Down	Newry and Mourne District Council, Famine Exhibition	3,000.00
Fermanagh	Fermanagh Famine Memorial	5,000.00
Galway	Goodtime Productions Tour of Famine Drama	2,000.00
Kerry	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Teampaillin Ban, Listowel	1,000.00
	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Dingle Workhouse	1,000.00
Kildare	Renovation Famine Graveyard, Celbridge	1,000.00
	Publication of Famine sites Atlas, Tullamore Famine Committee	5,000.00
Leitrim	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Carrick-on-Shannon	1,000.00
	Renovation of St. Mary's Church “Famine Graveyard”, Mohill	1,000.00
Limerick	Renovation of Famine Village, Knockfierna	5,000.00
Longford	Renovation of Famine Cemetery, St. Joseph's Hospital, Longford	1,000.00
Mayo	George Moore Society Famine Art Exhibition	5,000.00
Meath	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Dunshaughlin	1,000.00
Monaghan	Renovation Famine Graveyard, Clones	1,000.00
Roscommon	Strokestown Famine Museum (Conference, Education Pack)	10,000.00
	Famine Archaeological Excavation, Gorttoose	2,500.00
	Famine Archaeological Dig at Muliviltrin	2,500.00
Tipperary	Friends of St. Theresa's Hospital, Clogheen — Famine Memorial Oratory	1,000.00
	Renovation of St. Mary's Famine Graveyard, Thurles	1,000.00
Sligo	History Ireland Performance Company “Famine Remembrance Performance” tour of Manchester and Warrington	2,000.00
Waterford	Renovation of Reilig A' tSle Famine Graveyard, Dungarvan	1,000.00
Wexford	Famine Memorial in Ballygarrett cemetery, County Wexford	1,000.00

At National level my Committee has supported the following:

		£
	RTE Famine T.V. Documentary	79,562.04
	National Famine History Research Project (total cost £115,000)	50,537.04
	This is supporting research in the following counties: Mayo, Cork, Fermanagh, Tipperary, Clare, Wicklow, Donegal, Dublin (City), Offaly
	Schools Famine Essay Competition prizes	5,291.25
	Prizes were awarded to pupils in winning schools in County Kildare and County Tipperary
	Purchase for State of Gary White Deer Painting (proceeds donated to Concern Famine relief)	10,000.00
	Publication of Society of Freinds Famine Transactions	5,000.00

My Committee has also supported the following projects abroad:

		£
Ethiopia	Ethiopian Famine Food Reserve Project support for the Ethiopian Government's National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness project to provide capacity and infrastructure (i.e. storage silos for grains in remote areas)	50,030.00
Lesotho	Lesotho Famine Water Relief project. Provision of a water supply and sanitation, in Lesotho, to relieve severe drought conditions.	15,030.00
Britain	Liverpool Famine Memorial	5,000.00
	Liverpool Famine Art Exhibition	1,457,02
	Liverpool Commemoration Concert	45,299.16
	Glasgow — Feis Ghlaschu Famine Essay Prize	193.74
Australia/New Zealand	Famine Commemoration concert and lecture tour (taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra in Australia and in New Zealand, participation with the Prime Minister Mr. Jim Bolger, in an eve of St. Patrick's Day function, and other St. Patrick's Day functions)	85,141.80
USA/Canada	Famine Commemoration lecture tour (taking in Chicago, South Bend Indiana, San Francisco, San Diego, Washington, New York JFK, Boston and Montreal)	4,000.00
	School Project Competition co-sponsored by American Embassy and The Ireland Fund	5,000.00

Further events:

The Government's Famine Commemoration Committee have chosen a site for the National Famine Memorial at Murrisk in County Mayo. The memorial itself will consist of a very fine and moving sculpture by John Behan entitled "The Coffin Ship" which will be unveiled on 20 July this year. Having examined many sites suggested to us, we chose the beautiful setting of Murrisk and we feel that it is entirely fitting that the national famine memorial should be located in the west, which suffered most during the Famine with one in four of the population of Connaught dying in those terrible years.

The events which the Government propose to organise or contribute to include:

— a major international conference on the famine in Dublin Castle on 9 and 10 May;

— the Great Irish Famine Event

— a set of stamps commemorating the Famine to issue in May

— publication of an atlas of Famine sites of Ireland

— publication of a book of Irish Famine Manuscripts

— an ecumenical service

— a photographic exhibition

— continuing programme of support for the renovation of Famine graveyards.

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

84 Mr. B. Smith asked the Taoiseach the proposals, if any, there are to provide funding to local authorities to enable them to carry out improvement and restoration works on former workhouses and burial grounds which survive in their original state in view of the commemoration of the famine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8593/97]

The Taoiseach

As Chairperson of the Government's Famine Commemoration Committee I have provided funding to both local authorities and local groups to assist with the marking and restoration of famine graveyards.

The following are details by county of grants which have been made to date:

		£
Antrim	Renovation of Friar's Bush Famine Cemetery, Strandmills Road, Belfast	1,000
Clare	Renovation of Famine Burial Ground, Tuamgraney	1,000
Cork	Renovation of St. Mary's Famine Graveyard, Thurles	1,000
	Renovation of Carr's Hill Famine Cemetery, Cork	1,000
	Renovation of Bandon Famine Graveyard	1,000
	Renovation of Kildonnery Famine Graveyard	1,000
	Plaque at Macroom Workhouse	1,000
Donegal	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Donegal Town	1,000
Fermanagh	Fermanagh Famine Memorial at Paupers' Graveyard	5,000
Kerry	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Teampaillin Ban, Listowel	1,000
	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Dingle Workhouse	1,000
Kildare	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Celbridge	1,000
Leitrim	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Carrick-on-Shannon	1,000
	Renovation of St. Mary's Church “Famine Graveyard”, Mohill	1,000
Longford	Renovation of Famine Cemetery, St. Joseph's Hospital, Longford	1,000
Meath	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Dunshaughlin	1,000
Monaghan	Renovation of Famine Graveyard, Clones	1,000
Waterford	Renovation of Reilig A' tSle Famine Graveyard, Dungarvan	1,000
Wexford	Famine Memorial in Ballygarrett Cemetery, County Wexford	1,000

I hope to make further grants available within the next couple of weeks to a number of local groups who have not previously been assisted in the restoration and marking of famine graves.

Since January 1995 I have visited a number of workhouses around the country including Bawnboy in Cavan, Ballyshannon in Donegal, Birr in County Offaly and Swinford in County Mayo. Given the limited budget available to the Famine Commemoration Committee and the extensive programme being undertaken it would not be possible to make large capital grants available towards the restoration of workhouses. My committee, however, would be happy to assist in bringing projects to the attention of the National Heritage Council and other bodies for its consideration.