John Bruton
Question:19 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the plans for the museum complex in the Custom House Docks site, Dublin 1; and if it is proposed to display agricultural folk material in this museum or elsewhere.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Museum at Custom House Docks Site.
Plans for the creation of a museum at the Custom House Docks envisage the development there of a decorative arts and folklife museum. This museum will contain nearly 100,000 square feet as compared with approximately 66,000 square feet in the Kildare Street building. Final decisions as to the artefacts to be displayed at that museum will take account of the priorities identified by the Director of the National Museum.
As I indicated to the House on 6 December last, the director is considering various proposals for the display of the agricultural folk material at a number of venues, including suitable regional centres.
Would the Taoiseach agree that the display of reapers, binders, haycarts and the like would not be particularly congruous in the Custom House Docks centre? Will he agree that he should arrange to have these artefacts, of which there are many in the State's care, displayed in a rural setting at the earliest date? I will not even attempt to name that county. It stands out.
You won the National League. Is that not enough at the moment?
We will have to wait for "Croker".
Let me suggest that the model county already has an agricultural museum.