Vol. 516 No. 1
1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the requests, if any, the National Millennium Committee had regarding the issuing of an apology to native Americans for any role Irish immigrants to the United States played in their subjugation; if financial support was sought for community projects for native Americans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7057/00]
The role of the National Millennium Committee is to advise the Government on projects which, in its view, would be appropriate to celebrating the new millennium. More than 2,000 proposals, suggestions and ideas as to how millennium funds might be allocated have been received by the millennium committee.
I am not aware of an application in respect of the matter raised by the Deputy or of financial support being sought for community projects for native Americans. However, any such proposals could be submitted for consideration by the millennium committee as it finalises its recommendations. I have instructed the Millennium Office to contact the Deputy's office to find out the details on this matter for the next meeting of the millennium committee.
I welcome the contact with the Minister of State's office, though I understood there had been communication before now. Given the imminent departure of so many Ministers to the United States for St. Patrick's Day, will he and his colleagues consider the misfortunes of native Americans who suffered at the hands of many Irish people who were in the American Army in the 1880s and beyond, following incidents such as the massacre at Wounded Knee in South Dakota? Does he agree that as a millennium gesture of reconciliation an apology might be appropriate at the very least? That could be done next week.
This matter was the subject of a recent question to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Minister's response was to the effect that he was not aware of any developments or circumstances which would indicate that a statement of this nature would be appropriate or helpful at this time. He went on to say that there were no requests to provide support to native American projects under consideration in his Department.
I do not think it is clear that it is a matter for the Irish Government to take an initiative in this area; it might be a matter for the Irish-American community to raise such issues.
I do not propose to speak on behalf of the Irish-American community, but I ask the Minister of State to take into account the fact that in the 1840s native Americans gave assistance to people in Ireland. That may or may not have been considered appropriate at the time, but it was still very welcome. Given that the world has become smaller thanks to technology, it is all the more important that that reconciliation be valued and that a gesture be made. I ask him to consider this matter again. There are many documented instances of massacres where Irish people carried out the most brutal policies, though they might not have been involved in making those policies. If the Minister of State wants historical information I will provide it and, having done so, would he then reconsider the matter of an apology? More tangible assistance could also be considered, such as the drug or drink addiction programmes operating with the co-operation of Father McGuckian of the pioneers in Dublin. If the Minister of State wants neutral and unbiased information he could contact Father McGuckian in the pioneer headquarters in Sheriff Street.
I do not doubt the Deputy's sincerity or knowledge on this matter, though I presume that knowledge is not widely shared in the House. It is on record that coming up to the Famine of the 1840s the Choctaw tribe donated £100—
And corn.
—at a time when they themselves were starving. That was a unique gesture to a faraway land. That is the only connection the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of the Taoiseach have been able to track down. I do not think it is appropriate for the millennium committee to become involved in this, but I will bring this debate and the Deputy's comments to the attention of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This has not, however, been raised in any formal sense with the Government and would probably be a matter for the Irish-American community, in the first instance, to bring to our attention formally.
