586. Deputy Pat Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, in resect of the space reserved at Collins Barracks, Dublin 7 to host an exhibition on the Great Irish Famine, if there are plans to facilitate this project being implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42955/14]

Any decision in relation to an exhibition in Collins' Barracks, Dublin 7 is an operational matter for the National Museum of Ireland. However, the National Famine Commemoration Committee, which I chair, has considered the possibility of exhibiting a collection dedicated to the Irish Famine. The Committee was given to understand that much of the evidence relating to the Great Famine is statistical and pictorial and that there is insufficient material to support a dedicated exhibition as there are very limited numbers of artefacts that could be exhibited. There are of course many local museums and other entities around the country that include displays relating to the Famine period. The Irish National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, Co Roscommon, is an excellent example of such initiatives.