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 Senator Mark Daly: It is great to see the Minister in this House. I am aware of his passion and work for the arts over many years as a Deputy in north Kerry. Not only does he assist projects, but he spearheads them. I heard his comments about the match and we can obviously console ourselves. I am delighted to be on the committee on the 2016 celebrations which is chaired by the Minister. What can we do in the arts area in the run up to the 2016 celebrations? I am aware of proposals such as the freedom trail. The Minister is spearheading a task force that will go around the country. Can he outline to the House what will be done? Also, we have some cultural ambassadors, the most famous of whom is probably Gabriel Byrne. Does the Minister propose to appoint more ambassadors? While it is not in the Minister’s remit, I was delighted to see yesterday that the mother of a New York fireman who died in the September 11 attacks received the first certificate of Irish heritage, an initiative the Minister has been most helpful in ensuring is successful. Will the Minister explain to the House his vision and how this certificate could help the arts, the IDA, Tourism Ireland and the other institutions and colleges to assist our recovery in the near future? 

Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs Jimmy Deenhian: I appreciate Senator Daly’s comments. He is from a very cultured town, Kenmare, where the people have a very good balance between tourism and culture and have always held on to their unique identity. The Senator is in a very special part of the globe in Kenmare. The 1916 commemorations will be very important and it is important they are inclusive. We can all trace our party origins back to 1916, to the GPO and the other areas and we must all be part of the celebration. It cannot be the preserve of a particular party or individual. It is important we work closely together and that we start immediately. It all started with the Home Rule Bill 1912, followed by the Ulster Covenant setting up the Ulster Volunteers and then the reaction here to set up the Irish Volunteers in 1913. The process started then. If I get the opportunity, I would like to see these celebrations as a great cultural event. When one looks at the signatories of the proclamation, one sees they were all poets and writers. The rising was driven by a national zeal, patriotism and nationalism that were inspired by writers. Many of us read Pádraig Pearse when we were going to school. He wrote wonderful, understandable Irish, much of it describing Connemara, and he was an inspirational figure. It was through his writing that he inspired people, as did the other signatories and many others. This must be seen to be a great commemorative event. We must acknowledge the military aspect but it is so much bigger than that. These people were inspired, although they had no hope of winning the engagement. They were opposing a powerful empire but they made a major statement for our country and our culture and history inspired all of them to give their lives for all of us. We must appreciate their contribution to the country and we must start to do that as soon as possible. The Senator and Senator White are on the committee. It is important that there is a wider engagement beyond the committee and perhaps I will come back to the House when we formulate the strategy for the celebration and commemoration of 1916 for ideas on how we can approach it in a broad way that ensures inclusivity for all of us. 

Heritage certificates will be important. The Irish Diaspora in America has reduced in number from 40 million to 30 million but there are 70 million throughout the world. In the UK, people were reluctant to put down their nationality as Irish but a major campaign was undertaken prior to this year’s census to encourage people to do so and that will change everything. The figure mentioned at the time for those of Irish descent living in the UK was 3 million but that could increase considerably. In Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere, we do not have the same problems with nationality and identity. For example, a huge number of Irish people attended last Saturday’s match in Auckland but most of them did not travel from Ireland for the game. They travelled from Sydney, Melbourne and so on in Australia and from elsewhere in New Zealand. It brought home the number of young people who have left the country. The Diaspora is interested in the country. Farmleigh MK 1 reached out to them and Farmleigh MK 2 will be an extension of that. The connection I have been working on for a long time is critically important for the country at this time to reach out to our Diaspora who are more than willing to help us. There is great goodwill towards us in the international community, especially among our Diaspora. People feel they are from the soil of Ireland and they have an attachment to the country. The heritage certificate must show a connection to Ireland and a person must be identified. Senator Daly has been involved over the years in helping Brian McCarthy and FEXCO to develop this project. That must be recognised.