asked the Taoiseach when the presidential room in the National Museum will be officially opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Museum Presidential Room.
1.
The Presidents' room at the National Museum has been open to the public since its completion on 22 August 1985. There was no formal ceremony.
Is it the intention to have an official opening at some stage in the near future as this presidential room represents five former Presidents, Dr. Douglas Hyde, Mr. Seán T. O'Kelly, Mr. Éamon de Valera, Mr. Erskine Childers and Mr. Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh?
I was very anxious for an official opening as indeed was Deputy Seán Byrne who communicated with me about this. Naturally the most appropriate person to open the room would have been the President, but because of various constraints of which the Deputy is aware, it had to be opened before 28 August 1985. This was necessary to meet the terms of the will of the late President de Valera. Also, unfortunately, the President was not available during that period. Still we had to go ahead because of the constraints and it was in the interests of everyone that we should. The museum continues to get other artefacts and memorabilia of other Presidents and perhaps on some future occasion when significant ones become available that might be an appropriate time for an official opening. I would like to see that happen because it would help out so far as the Presidents' room is concerned and it would also help the museum generally.
A final supplementary.
I appreciate the Minister's interest in this area and I was very impressed by the marvellous work carried out in the museum. Does he think he will need a larger room at a later stage?
That will have to be looked at. We are reorganising the entire museum and we will have a lot of extra space when we move the Decorative Arts to the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham. We hope that very important memorabilia will continue to come to the Presidents' room which is proving of great interest to the general public.