Commemoration of 1916
Mr. O’Dea: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 52 and 166 together.
The Easter Rising of 1916 will be commemorated by a military parade in Dublin on Sunday, 16 April 2006. Preparations for the parade, as announced by the Taoiseach last October, are being made by the Defence Forces. Approximately 2,500 personnel representing all branches of the forces together with representatives of ex-service personnel and veterans of UN service will be included. The parade will also include members of the Garda Síochána, representing their service abroad with the United Nations. A fly-past by the Aer Corps is also envisaged.
The parade will depart from Dublin Castle and will pass through Dame Street, College Green and O’Connell Street. There will be a reading of the proclamation outside the GPO and appropriate military honours will be rendered. The event will be televised live and it will be possible to view the parade along the route from Dublin Castle to O’Connell Street. I will be present on the viewing stand at the GPO.
This 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising will also be marked by a wreath-laying ceremony in Kilmainham Gaol earlier that morning and by a Government reception at Dublin Castle that evening. Officials of my Department and officers of the Defence Forces are represented on an interdepartmental working group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, which is overseeing all the logistical arrangements for the parade and associated events. This group is meeting regularly and includes, inter alia, representatives from the Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, the fire services and the Office of Public Works. Many logistical issues such as the parade route, road closures, health and safety regulations and publicity must be addressed and the group is dealing with these issues. The group is also dealing with the issue of invitations to the viewing stands outside the GPO. The invitations being issued for the ceremonies this year include the relatives of the 1916 leaders and volunteers who were killed in action in 1916 based on the list used for the annual Arbour Hill commemoration.
As the House can appreciate, there are space limitations in O’Connell Street which restrict the number of places on the reviewing stand to approximately 900 people. Provision must be made for the categories which normally, in part or in whole, make up the invitation lists for State events. These include the Government, the Council of State, TDs, Senators, the Judiciary, the diplomatic corps, semi-State organisations, social partners, national cultural and sporting organisations and the universities.
On the invitation of the Taoiseach, all parties in the Oireachtas have nominated spokespersons to offer advice on the appropriate scope and content of a 1916 centenary commemoration committee to be put in place in coming years. I understand that the first meeting of this group will take place next week.
Mr. Gormley: I am glad to hear that the reading of the proclamation will take place. Does the Minister agree that a central part of the preparations and celebrations should be to take the 1916 Proclamation as a yardstick of how we have progressed as a nation? Does the Minister believe that this Government guarantees the equal rights and equal opportunities of all of its citizens? Does he believe this Government cherishes all of the children of the nation equally?
How does he think the men and women of 1916 would feel about our Taoiseach, who spends €550 a week on make up? That is more than the average industrial wage.
Mr. O’Dea: That is not an appropriate question in this regard.
Mr. Gormley: He expects the taxpayer to pay for his vanity. How would those people feel about the movers and shakers—–
Acting Chairman (Mr. Glennon): The Deputy must confine himself to the question.
Mr. Gormley: I will confine myself to the question.
Mr. O’Dea: For a change.
Mr. Gormley: The central question is the 1916 Proclamation.
Mr. O’Dea: The question is about the celebrations.
Mr. Gormley: How would the men and women of 1916 feel about the movers and shakers in the Galway tent who buy access and opportunity? How would they feel about the blatant inequalities—–
Mr. O’Dea: That is not an appropriate question.
Mr. Gormley: —–in our health system?
Acting Chairman: The question is on the Easter celebrations.
Mr. Gormley: How would they feel about the corruption and how would they feel about the fact that the Acting Chairman’s constituency colleague, Deputy Wright, goes unpunished for taking sops from developers?
Acting Chairman: Deputy Gormley must resume his seat.
Mr. Gormley: No, I want to continue. My final question—-
Mr. O’Dea: A relevant one for a change.
Mr. Gormley: This is relevant.
Mr. O’Dea: For a change.
Mr. Gormley: I take it from the Minister’s reply that he will not march in the parade. That was my question. I am somewhat surprised and relieved, given the Minister’s past performance. I expected that he would lead our Defence Forces up O’Connell Street, perhaps brandishing a pistol, pointing it at the cameras—–
Acting Chairman: Deputy Gormley must conclude.
Mr. Gormley:—–and using it for a cheap photo opportunity. Will the Minister state why the committee has not met to date, despite many promises? Many of my colleagues were told the committee would meet. There has been no such meeting.
Mr. O’Dea: The question was about the organisation of the 1916 celebrations and I intend to confine my reply to that matter specifically. I outlined already to Deputy Gormley those who will march in the parade. It will be Defence Forces, ex-servicemen, United Nations veterans and members of the police in recognition of their service abroad. As I do not fall into any of those categories, ipso facto I will not march.
The other matters are completely beside the point. Regarding the question on why the committee has not met, I attempted to organise a meeting this week. Representatives of Sinn Féin, the Technical Group and Fine Gael were all prepared to accommodate it. Unfortunately, the Labour Party’s nominated person, Deputy McManus, was not available. She thought the notice was too short and that is fine. We will arrange the meeting for next week.
(later)
Mr. Gormley: Returning to my central point, which was taken up by Deputy Gregory, I ask the Minister to confirm to what extent the political idealism outlined in the proclamation will be celebrated and analysed. How does the Minister feel that the Ireland of today measures up to those ideas? Does the Minister think - this is a genuine question - that the men and women of 1916 would be happy if they were to see the Ireland of today?
Mr. O’Dea: First, my party has no need to reclaim nationalism from anyone. We are the constitutional nationalist party and will continue to be such.
Mr. Timmins: So is our party.
Mr. O’Dea: I already answered Deputy Gormley’s second question in my reply to Deputy Gregory. If the Deputy has a practical suggestion to make on how we should commemorate those principles, I will be quite prepared to listen to it. He can make suggestions either directly to me or through the committee.
If the 1916 men were to come back today and see the wonderful and terrific strides we have made over the years, they would be proud to see we are one of the wealthiest countries in Europe. We are a country that cherishes all the children of the nation.
Mr. Gormley: That is not the case.
Mr. O’Dea: We cherish all the children of the nation much more equally than they were cherished in 1916. We are a far more equal and prosperous society and an infinitely better society. I would prefer to live in 2006 than in 1916.