Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Nov 1955

Vol. 153 No. 6

Committee on Finance. - Vote 43—Science and Art.

Minister for Education (General Mulcahy)

I move:

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £9,731 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1956, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Institutions of Science and Art, for certain Miscellaneous Educational and Cultural Services, the Centenary Commemorations of Thomas Davis and the Young Ireland Movement, and Sundry Grants-in-Aid.

The main item in this Supplementry Estimate is the provision of £9,500 under sub-head A (5)—Purchase of Specimens—for the purchase of a collection of Irish silver. This collection consists of 25 items representing first-rate specimens of Irish craftmanship. All are superb examples of the work of Irish silversmiths during the 17th and 18th centuries and it would be an irreparable loss if they were allowed to leave the country. It was in fact to obviate their being sold abroad that steps were taken to acquire them for the museum. Their purchase will go far towards making the museum collection of Irish silver, what it ought to be, the best in the world, containing as it will, as a result of this purchase, many unique items intimately related to the social and economic life of the country in the periods to which they belong. In the purchase of these specimens, I had the advice of a number of experts and am satisfied that the price paid is reasonable and is in fact lower than that which the vendor would have received if he had not been well disposed towards the museum and if he had elected to sell them in the open market abroad.

A sum of £231 is required under sub-head B (1)—Publications in Irish—to regularise certain payments towards the publication of books in Irish which were incorrectly charged against the Vote in the financial year 1952-53. Issues totalling £2,440 were made during the financial year 1952-53 to the board for disbursement and were charged in full against the Vote for that year although they included payments amounting to £231 not actually made by the board until the following financial year.

Mr. Derrig

I am very glad that the National Museum has been able to acquire the collection of Irish silver to which the Minister refers. The price he has indicated is reasonable and I am sure it is even more so having regard to the importance of the collection. I note that silver furniture and other such articles which might properly attract the attention of the National Museum have been going up in price very much during the past two years. More recently all these articles have shown a tendency to share in the general inflation of prices. Such articles of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are limited in supply owing to the fact that the American market is open to them and agents are collecting them for export to the United States. One is inclined to be anxious as to whether anything will be left of the domestic art to which the Minister has referred, particularly Irish silver which has such a reputation abroad and which is one of the special branches of craftsmanship in which our workers excelled.

The fact that the original Estimate of £1,000 for the purchase of specimens for the National Museum has now to be increased to £10,500 to enable this transaction to be completed indicates that neither at present nor at any time in my memory have we been overgenerous in the allowance we have made to the National Museum, the National Gallery or the National Library for the purchase of suitable specimens.

I trust that, where an important collection, an important piece or an important library having special interest for us comes on the market, the particular figure appearing in the annual Estimates will not deter the Minister or the Taoiseach who, I know, is keenly interested in these matters, in seeing that the particular institution is equipped with the necessary funds to make the purchases which they consider necessary and to avail of opportunities which may not recur.

Mr. O'Malley

I also welcome the purchase of this old Irish silver. I would urge the Minister to take the necessary steps to see that those concerned in the National Gallery and the National Museum with the purchase of works of art will read carefully the advertisements in English papers of auctions such as the Fine Arts Sales at Christies. Invaluable treasures have been lost to the Irish nation down through the years. Throughout the year advertisements appear in the London Times and other papers, of auctions of pictures, furniture, manuscripts and silver which would be of the greatest interest and value to us. I am not suggesting the purchase of every single article which may have an association with this country. Obviously such a practice would be fraught with great difficulty, apart from the financial implications. I do say that we are not sufficiently wide-awake to the market across the water. I do not know how these very valuable pictures and manuscripts and other works arrived there, but I do know that they are constantly being disposed of and, so far, I have not seen evidence of any effort to secure these invaluable articles of historic interest for the nation. I trust that the Minister will do everything in his power to encourage the purchase of such works by the people to whom these matters are entrusted.

I would also draw the Minister's attention to the fact that the export of masterpieces, not only of furniture or pictures, but of old Irish silver such as is the subject of this Vote, is taking place from this country. It may be difficult to put an embargo on such exports, but the Minister should see to it that his representatives bid at auctions where these articles are disposed of. Otherwise, as Deputy Derrig said, the country will shortly be denuded of its treasures. In my opinion, successive Governments have not been active enough in this respect. The Estimates for this purpose have been totally inadequate. We have not sufficient appreciation of the arts.

An Ceann Comhairle

I do not want to interrupt the Deputy but I am afraid he is making the scope of the discussion far wider than this White Paper intended.

Mr. O'Malley

I trust that the Minister will bear in mind the points I have made.

Mr. A. Barry

I want to ask the Minister have the Government considered in reference to these matters the employment of the undoubted skill of Professor Bodkin who, I understand, has now terminated his work at the Barber Institute?

Gearóid Mac Pharthaláin

Ba mhaith liom eolas a d'fháil ón Aire i dtaobh rud atá réasúnta sean ach nár chuala mise tada faoi le tamall maith, is é sin, an deontas airgid do pháipéir a foilsítear i mBéarla agus a fhoilsíonn nuacht i nGaeilge. Nílim ag tagairt anois do na páipéirí a foilsítear i nGaeilge ar fad ach na páipéirí seachtainúla agus míosúla is mó ar fud na tíre a bhfuil an spreagadh seo acu le tuilleadh Gaeilge a chur i gcIó iontu.

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Níl aon bhaint in aon chor aige sin leis an airgead seo.

Gearóid Mac Pharthaláin

Ní thagann sé sin faoin Vóta?

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Ní thagann.

Gearóid Mac Pharthaláin

Cén Vóta a dtagann sé faoi?

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Sin ceist eile. Dá mbeadh Leabhar na Meastachán agam d'fheadfainn é sin insint don Teachta.

An Ceann Comhairle

Beidh an Meastachán ós ár gcomhair.

Gearóid Mac Pharthaláin

Céard é an Vóta is feiliúnaí le haghaidh caint den tsórt seo i dtaobh deontas airgid do na páipéirí Béarla atá ag foilsiú Gaeilge?

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Ní hé Vóta 43 é. Níl ach an dá rud ann—an deontas i gcóir na n-earraí airgid agus an deontas eile. Tuigim an sprid inar labhair na Teachtaí anseo. I will be very glad of the assistance and the encouragement of Deputies towards anything that may additionally be done in this way. I have no information on Deputy Barry's point.

Vote put and agreed to.

Supplementary Estimate reported and agreed to.