asked the Taoiseach if he considers the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, to be the most suitable location on a permanent basis for the National Gallery of Modern Art.
8.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gallery of Modern Art.
7.
asked the Taoiseach if legislation will be introduced to give a statutory basis to the board to run the National Gallery of Modern Art; the terms of reference of the board; the way in which they will be funded; and if they will have the authority to appoint their own chief executive.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
I am satisfied that the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, is the most suitable location. The advisory committee, which I established to advise on the arrangements for the Gallery, were also satisfied with the location.
The management group, which I announced on Friday last, will oversee adaptations to the building and the preparation of the gallery which it is intended will be inaugurated in 1991 as part of the Dublin City of Culture programme. The group will be merged early next year in the existing Royal Hospital Kilmainham Company when the board of that company complete their term of five years in office. The RHK Company will then be responsible for all the activities in the Royal Hospital, including the gallery. The RHK Company are a company incorporated under the Companies Acts and have the authority to appoint their chief executive. It is not proposed at present to establish the company on a statutory basis.
The terms of reference for the gallery are:
—to acquire and exhibit a permanent collection of modern Irish and international art;
—to organise appropriate exhibitions;
—to provide educational support for these and for the permanent collection by catalogues, publications, lectures, etc. and
—to make the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, a lively centre of modern art for the Irish and international public.
The gallery will be funded from the proceeds of the national lottery.
Everyone accepts that the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, is a magnificent building magnificently restored but, as the Taoiseach is well aware——
We are responsible for it.
That is another point which I will dispute.
I provided the money for it — £52 million.
I was responsible for it being designated as a cultural centre instead of being turned over to State offices, with the great co-operation of the the Minister for Finance who was willing to see that this magnificent building should not be used for offices. The most enlightened remark I ever heard from a Finance civil servant was, "We spent too much money on this for it to be made into offices".
Ceist, le do thoil.
We accept this magnificent building and we give credit where credit is due for whatever help was given by the Taoiseach in his various capacities. But after all, the areas designated for the gallery are really a collection of very small rooms — the soldiers' bedrooms. Would the Taoiseach not agree that for presentation purposes and security purposes and because of the location of the Royal Hospital, away from the centre of activities and the possibility of getting casual visitors, it should be designated only as a temporary location for the Gallery of Modern Art and that a more suitable and central location should be sought for the permanent location?
No, I do not agree. I rely on the advisory committee who advised that it was a suitable location. The complaint that the Deputy has that it consists of a number of small rooms is not very valid. That is not quite true, but in any event, I understand that there is now a tendency in modern galleries to have a collection of smaller spaces rather than one huge space, so from that point of view it is entirely appropriate as a gallery of modern art. On the advisory body that I established there are a number of people competent to make decisions about whatever adaptations need to be made. There are architects and artistic people on the body who can look at that aspect. My general advice is that it is entirely in keeping with the modern development of that type of gallery. As to its geographical location, it is quite suitable because in this area of the city we have the National Gallery and we now have the Gallagher Gallery and the Municipal Gallery in Parnell Square and there will be a new cultural centre of the Custom House Docks site. With the addition of a modern art gallery in Kilmainham there will be a nice circuit of galleries around the city.
I am glad to hear that there will be one board for the entire complex in Kilmainham when the period of the present board expires. That is the only reasonable way in which activities can be conducted there on a satisfactory basis. Will that board have a statutory base with the independence and the rights that the National Gallery have and will they get permanent funding as distinct from the lottery funding, however great that might be, because that is an unsatisfactory way in which to fund a permanent structure such as the National Gallery of Modern Art?
In the initial stages, it will be funded by the national lottery because that is the way in which we can give it access to reasonably substantial funds. In the initial stages I suppose the funds will be devoted to acquisitions so that a central core of works can be built up. Thereafter, I suppose we can consider funding it directly from the Exchequer. The same would apply to giving the company a statutory basis. The company an at present incorporated under the Companies Acts and that has worked satisfactorily. We should see how that system works with regard to the new gallery. If there is a need then to put it on a statutory basis that can be considered. For the time being, the company system is working well with regard to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, generally. They have a very considerable programme of events and run it satisfactorily. I am, not inclined to make any changes at present. I would like to have the present company get the new gallery under way, appoint a curatory and see how things go and, if necessary we can look at it again in a few years time.
I welcome all the developments that will lead to the early opening of the National Gallery of Modern Art. Could the Taoiseach confirm that entry to the gallery will be free and available to all people in the country?
I am firmly committed to that principle.
In view of the fact that the Taoiseach's Department appear to be considering incorporating elements of the modern collection at the Municipal Gallery in Dublin, does the Taoiseach envisage that on the board of the company running the gallery there will be representation from Dublin Corporation?
I had not thought of that, but it is something that can be considered.
Will the Taoiseach say what amount of money will be given to the new board or advisory body this year, both for running the gallery and for new acquisitions and will this be additional money from the national lottery, on top of what will be coming for the arts anyhow?
About £500,000 has been set aside.
Can the Taoiseach give any assurance to the House that the Municipal Gallery will get some funding especially from the lottery funds for the expense of refurbishing the premises at Parnell Square?
Sin ceist eile.