asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the role played by the State in the promotion, conservation and maintenance of the treasures of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 4, willed to the State on the death of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty in 1968; the way in which the board of the Chester Beatty Library is appointed; the names of the members of the board of the Chester Beatty Library, the number of members of the board who are appointed by the State; the term of office of members of the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers.
1.
Under the terms of the will of the late Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, the primary responsibility for the administration and promotion of the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery rests with its Trustees. It receives an annual grant from my Department, amounting this year to £200,000 or approximately 80 per cent of its expenditure. The maintenance, repair, upkeep, renovation and improvement of the buildings are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works under the Chester Beatty Library Act, 1986.
Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery are appointed in accordance with the terms of the will of the late Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. It specified that five named persons and the Director of the National Library (ex-officio), together with one nominee each of the President and the Taoiseach should be Trustees. Sir Alfred's will also vests the power of appointment of a new trustee or trustees in the surviving or continuing trustees. It stipulates that not more than 12 trustees may be appointed.
Apart from the ex-officio appointment, the other appointments have been made without an expiry date.
I am circulating, in the Official Report, a tabular statement giving the names of trustees and the dates of their respective appointment.
Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library (As at 15 November 1988)
|
Name of Trustees |
Date of Appointment |
|
Mr. Justice Brian Walsh (Chairman) |
1980 |
|
Dr. James White |
1980 |
|
Sir John Galvin |
1969 |
|
Prof. J. Weingreen |
1969 |
|
Mr. Mícheal O hOdhráin (President's nominee) |
1983 |
|
Prof. Seán Freyne (Taoiseach's nominee) |
1986 |
|
Prof. K. Cathcart |
1975 |
|
Sir Mark Cochrane |
1988 |
|
Mrs. J. Duff |
1983 |
|
Vacancy (Director of the National Library ex-offico) |
|
|
Dr. P. Henchy |
1968 |
|
Mrs. Margaret Downes |
1988 |
In view of the fact that the gift was primarily a gift to the State, to the people of this country, and in view of the extended amount of moneys afforded to the library on a yearly basis, is it not now time for the Government to seek the appointment of a board of trustees who are accountable in some way or other to the appropriate Department and to this House? Particularly, has any effort been made to seek an annual report or a report on an on-going basis from the board of trustees as to the affairs of the library? Has the Taoiseach given thought to the appointment of additional trustees to the board of trustees?
First, the trustees receive substantial private funds. The library in particular has access to private funds and it is on ths basis of balance between private and public input into it that the State has available to it quite one of the most magnificent libraries in the world. It is one that has to be approached, for that reason, with a certain amount of caution. Talks are proceeding at the moment with the trustees on how progress can be assured. I would not advocate anything in the way of drastic attention by the Government. It is a matter of co-operation between the trustees and the Government and I am trying to keep it on that level.
There was a very alarmist report in the Sunday Independent which has no foundation whatever. Indeed the chairman of the Friends of the Chester Beatty Library wrote to the Sunday Independent taking issue with the paper in regard to the allegations made. The matter is not out of control. It is simply a matter of co-ordination and co-operation between the Department of the Taoiseach and the trustees, bearing in mind that there is a tremendous worldwide recognition of the Chester Beatty Library. Because of its continuing status under trusteeship it can be the recipient of very substantial private funds.
While I concur fully with the Tánaiste in everything he has said with regard to the importance and significance of the library and its collection, I would ask him whether the Government would be satisfied that at the moment the director of the library, whose position is being totally undermined, is now forced to seek to resolve his difficulties in a tribunal in the Department of Labour? Is this not an indication that there is some substance to the concern that all is not well at the library and that in fact because of its significance it does need closer attention from the Taoiseach's Department?
The Deputy is injecting new matter into this question.
It certainly merits closer attention and that is being given.
In the context of the closer attention the Tánaiste intends to give the matter, could he ensure that some of the money provided by the State would be expended on a promotion programme to encourage the ordinary citizens of Dublin to visit this library? Would the Tánaiste agree that this library is extremely valuable but seems in practice to be more visited by people from overseas than it is by people living in this country and that that is something that should be altered in the interests of the general promotion of a knowledge of Ireland as a centre of world learning in this area?
I agree with most of what Deputy Bruton has said. One of the matters that I intend to bring to their attention is the idea of opening their doors and popularising the library and making it more available so that people will know what is there, and what is there is of enormous value. Yet there appears to be very little organisation directed towards that objective of bringing people in to view it and making that in itself a commercial and revenue earning exercise.
They should not behave like a squirrel, trying to accumulate material. They should let everybody see it.