asked the Taoiseach if he intends introducing legislation to enable the State to exercise effective control over the export of works of art, rare objects and other heritage material; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Export of Works of Art.
1.
As the Deputy will be aware, the general scheme of legislation to control the export of works of art, art objects and heritage material has been drafted in the Department of the Taoiseach. This draft legislation is the subject of inter-departmental consultation at present.
I would like to assure the Deputy that I share his concern that controls in this area should be introduced and it is my intention, when the present examination is completed, to propose the introduction of appropriate legislation.
In view of the fact that the country is being trawled by representatives and agents of British concerns encouraging the export of works of art and that, as the Taoiseach knows, we are losing perhaps as much as £5 million worth of antiques — objects 100 years old — each year, will the Taoiseach give a guarantee he will introduce this legislation before the summer recess?
Yes, I shall make every effort to do that. I agree fully with the Deputy.
As the Taoiseach very well knows, our tax regime and in particular our VAT regime greatly militate against the possibility of Irish works of art sold abroad being repatriated here. Will the Taoiseach possibly take that into consideration in the forthcoming Finance Bill?
Will the Taoiseach agree that one of the ways in which works of art and their objects can be held in our country is that institutions with a particular interest, such as art galleries and the like, be properly funded? In that context, is the Taoiseach aware that because of cutbacks the Municipal Art Gallery this year was denied the mere £30,000 it annually had for the purchase of works of art, because of the moves of his own party members at city council level in Dublin? Does he have any proposals to try to restore that meagre sum to the city council, at least to purchase some of the works of art that are available.
I have complete confidence in Fianna Fáil members of Dublin City Council——
Ned Brennan?
——and I am quite sure that whatever action they take is in the best interests of the citizens. Deputy McCartan is going into a different area from that raised in the question by Deputy Nealon. The Deputy should be and probably is aware that even in Britain, where there are far more prosperous artistic and cultural institutions than here, they have this problem of trying to keep objects of national art and heritage in Britain. This is a complex area and not one very easy to deal with. I do not think that the £30,000, or any sum of that nature, being spent by Dublin Corporation would have any significant impact on the problem that Deputy Nealon raises in his question.
As the Taoiseach has indicated to us, there are proposals for draft legislation coming but, meagre though the £30,000 is, is he not aware it was intended to purchase six items in an auction——
The Deputy is raising a specific matter. It is worthy of a special question.
Would the Ceann Comhairle allow me a special question? I should be only too happy to table one.
I shall be happy to deal with it when it comes before me.
The Taoiseach has indicated legislation is coming. However, there is an interregnum. My original question was whether the Taoiseach would agree that at least those institutions that are in the field searching for important works of art be funded. Will he not agree that is an important step towards ensuring their retention? Is he not aware that this very day in Dún Laoghaire there is a major art auction of modern Irish art at which the Municipal Art Gallery is unable to bid for anything because it does not even have the £30,000 it used to have each year?
This question is dealing with the introduction of legislation.