Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
3023. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress being made to fix a date for the national famine commemoration and to link such a fixed date with an international famine commemoration day in which the Irish diaspora can participate and commemorate this national event. [32644/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra3025. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she has made a decision on a fixed date for the national famine memorial day to be included in the national calendar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32685/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 3023 and 3025 together.
As I have previously informed the House in May 2018 and in my reply to Parliamentary Question No 2584 of 24 July 2018, the Government, on 1st May 2018 approved the designation of the third Sunday of May each year as the national Famine commemoration day, with the arrangements for the holding a of State commemoration on this day or the preceding Saturday to be decided each year following consultation with the relevant local authority and host community.
The 2019 National Famine Commemoration took place on 19th May in Sligo in the presence of An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD.
As I announced on 21st July 2019, the International Famine Commemoration will take place in Phoenix, Arizona on 3rd November next. This will be the fifth occasion that the international commemoration has been held in the Unites States. There have been ten international commemorations of the Great Irish Famine to date. Since the first international commemoration in Toronto and Quebec in 2009, events have also been held in Australia, Canada and the UK.
