Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
315. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the amount allocated to fund the Commemorations Advisory Committee in 2024 and 2025; the amount spent to date; the breakdown of funding on each project completed to date and scheduled for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46697/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department does not have an allocated amount to fund the Commemorations Advisory Committee. The Committee does not provide financial support for any commemorative projects rather provides independent and expert advice and guidance to the State and key stakeholders on commemorative matters. They do this in a voluntary capacity.
The formation and members of the Commemorations Advisory Committee was shared in a Memorandum for the Government in May 2025. The Chair is broadcaster and journalist Bryan Dobson and other members are from the National Cultural Institutions and the fields of academia and politics. The committee meets every quarter.
My Department, through the Commemorations Unit, does however continue to fund commemorations to ensure the appropriate remembrance of key historical events and themes as identified in the Programme for Government and in consultation with the Commemorations Advisory Committee and other key partners. This is primarily done using a partnership approach.
The Unit has a budget of €2.6millon for 2026. The local authorities are key project partners and €705,000 has been allocated this year to the network to support local communities and community groups develop appropriate commemorative events.
State commemorations and commemorative programmes are also co-ordinated and delivered by the Unit to mark significant events. €755,000 has been allocated to deliver three State events in 2026, including the National and International Famine Commemorations and two State commemorative programmes namely the centenary of the Dromcollogher Cinema Fire, while America250 will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Funding to the amount of €88,000 is also allocated to cover legacy initiatives including the RIA’s Local Historian Commemorations Bursaries and the Daniel O’Connell Programme. The remaining funding will go towards emerging priorities for initiatives brought to the attention of the Unit during the course of the year that are considered worthy of support as well as advance planning and miscellaneous expenses.
The 2026 Commemorative Programme including the financial drawdowns is scheduled to be completed in November of this year.
Project proposals are reviewed in terms of the overall business and budgetary objectives of the Commemorations Unit and are required to be in keeping with the established principles and ethos of commemorations.
