Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he was in favour of commemorating the Famine on the same day as other commemorations.
He was replying to Labour leader Pat Rabbitte who urged him to have a rethink on the issue and have a day solely devoted to commemorating the Famine.
"The Famine is the most cataclysmic event in our history in its impact on this island and its effect on so many countries outside Ireland," he added.
"Up to one million of our people poured out of this country at the time in an effort to stay alive."
Mr Ahern said that, personally, he had no great feeling one way or another on the issue.
"If people feel we should commemorate the Famine, we can do so," he added.
He said he had read the files on the matter and the debates which went on in the House for years, between the political parties and with departments and agencies, about a national day of commemoration.
Some 20 years ago, there was a sense of a political decision being reached whereby all the different days commemorated, and those which people were requesting to be commemorated, would all be subsumed into the national day of commemoration, he added.
"Currently we are trying to attract members of certain faiths to join in this year's day of commemoration," he added. "I am not trying to detract from the merits of different commemorations, but trying to involve all in one day." Mr Rabbitte said he saw some merit in what the Taoiseach said, but he regarded the Famine as being quite an exception.
He added that the committee for the commemoration of the Famine victims was very earnest. "It has furnished the Taoiseach's Department, and the various political parties, with a cogent argument why this country . . . should now be prepared to commemorate that event in our history," he added.
Repeating that he had no strong feelings on the matter, Mr Ahern said there might be a cross-party feeling in the House that there should be a day to commemorate the Famine. "A good case for individual days has been made by various groups," he added.
Historically, he added, since the foundation of the State, events were commemorated every 25 years, 50 years, 75 years, on centenaries and bicentenaries.
