Vol. 386 No. 3
asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the present condition of the main exhibition hall in the National Museum, Dublin 2; when he anticipates that this exhibition hall will be reroofed in view of its present dangerous condition; and if he will give details of the plans he has for the restoration of this exhibition hall.
23.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the exact nature of the works being carried out by the Office of Public Works in the National Museum and the Natural History Museum; the total costs involved and the proportion of the cost being borne by the national lottery; if the Office of Public Works have any plans to carry out necessary refurbishment of the National Library; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 23 together.
I am aware of the present condition of the Central Court in the National Museum in Kildare Street. The roof over this area, while it is not dangerous as the Deputy states, is in need of extensive repair. It is proposed to commence the repair works later this year. The necessary planning is currently in progress. When the roof repairs are completed the Central Court will be redecorated and a carefully designed and co-ordinated exhibition with appropriate lighting and showcases will be mounted there. The complete renewal of the electrical wiring in the National Museum was completed at the beginning of last year. The cost of approximately £400,000 was met from the Vote for the Office of Public Works. Most of the exhibition galleries had to be closed to the public during the work in the interests of the safety of the public and for the protection of the artefacts.
An exhibition featuring materials recovered in the various excavations around Dublin especially the one in Wood Quay was opened in the aisle of the Central Court last August. The total cost of mounting that exhibition, including the cost of decoration and segregating the aisle from the wall of the Central Court, was in the region of £130,000 of which approximately 35 per cent was met from the national lottery.
Work on the redecoration of the 1916 room, the 1798 room, the Ceramics Room and the Chinese Room and on the installation of suitable lighting is well advanced. The total cost of these works will be in the region of £150,000, of which approximately 25 per cent is being met from the national lottery funds. The preparation of the exhibitions in all of these galleries is also well advanced and they will reopen to the public within the next few months. Some improvements are being made in the Japanese Room and the Music Room at an estimated cost of approximately £20,000 — 50 per cent of the cost is being met from the national lottery. These galleries will also be reopened in the next few months.
An extensive outbreak of dry rot was discovered in the building. The necessary treatment work and consequent making good has been carried out. The cost was met from the Vote for the Office of Public Works. Planning is in progress for the repair of the roof over the Central Court and it is intended to undertake the work this year. The cost is estimated at £400,000 — 50 per cent of this will be met from the national lottery.
It is also intended to develop the Rotunda area to provide an improved and expanded museum shop and better visitor reception and information facilities. This work is estimated to cost £70,000 and will commence very soon. Fifty per cent of the cost will be met from the national lottery. Full regard will be had to the high architectural quality of the Rotunda in carrying out the work. Planning is well advanced for the improvement of the entrance approaches to the National Museum from Kildare Street. The proposed works will include the provision of an invalid ramp. They will cost approximately £15,000, of which 50 per cent will be provided from the national lottery funds. Planning is also in progress for the provision of improved conservation laboratories to serve all areas of the museum's activities. The first stage in this development will commence shortly at an estimated cost of £40,000 which is being met from museum funds.
The Natural History Museum is being electrically rewired at a cost of £86,000 approximately which is being met from the national lottery.
A new reception desk and cloakroom were provided in the National Library at the end of last year. The building was completely electrically rewired in recent years. I have no further plans for the refurbishment of these premises.
Deputy Tom Enright. I want to advise the Deputy that as the time allowed for questions is exhausted supplementaries of necessity must be brief.
Is the Minister aware that the roof of the main exhibition hall appears to be totally rotted, that a number of the metal straps have frayed and broken and that there is a danger that some of the roof will collapse? If the Minister is aware of these problems, will he state if he is taking expert advice on them? May I further ask the Minister if he is aware that the main exhibition hall in the National Museum is at present being used as a workroom and can he say the length of time he envisages this work will take? Finally, may I ask the Minister when the display units which had been used in this exhibition hall, for example, Irish antiquities, the art and industrial exhibition, the armoury section and the silver collection——
I asked for brevity, please.
——will be restored to the main exhibition hall?
I am fully aware of the condition of the roof. I have inspected it along with my officials and, as I have said, remedial works are to be carried out. I am sure the Deputy will agree that the wide range of works I have outlined are long overdue and he must accept the fact that these works may create some inconvenience and the relocation of existing artefacts for a certain period. Major remedial works are being carried out and I expect they will be concluded this year.
That concludes Questions, both priority and ordinary, for today.
