Jim Higgins
Question:1 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if it is proposed to make any further money available for the refurbishment of the birthplace of George Bernard Shaw at No. 33 Synge Street; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shaw's Birthplace.
A grant of £10,000 was provided in 1989 from the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust towards the acquisition of the house in question as a Shaw Museum. It was then understood that the trustees of the Shaw Birthplace Museum Trust were to proceed with their own restoration and fund-raising programme.
More recently I was made aware of the funding difficulties of the Trust regarding the acquisition and restoration of the premises and I have since allocated a further grant of approximately £54,000, also from the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust, to enable the trust to complete the purchase of the property.
This grant will be made available on the condition that satisfactory arrangements are made in regard to the management of the restoration of the house and the running of the proposed museum.
First, I want to thank the Taoiseach for the letter he sent to the Shaw Trust indicating the payment of a further grant of £54,000 to enable them to pay off their bank debt for the purchase of the property. That was very welcome news indeed. In view of the fact that it will cost £80,000-plus to carry out a modest refurbishment of the house which is in a considerable state of dilapidation, does the Taoiseach acknowledge that a grant of £5,000 from the National Gallery is extremely disappointing when since 1950 one-third of the royalties from the Shaw works has gone to the National Gallery and enabled them to purchase a number of 17th and 18th century French Baroque paintings? In view of the considerable bequest to the National Gallery they should consider giving a more generous subscription at this stage for the refurbishment of this house.
Hear, hear.
Of course, the National Gallery have their own problems and priorities and they are constantly seeking assistance from the Exchequer. However, I am sure they will take note of what the Deputy has said.
Is the Taoiseach aware that at present only one of the rooms in the house has been brought up to a standard which would be fit to receive visitors? Apart from its literary associations this house has considerable tourist potential as a typical house of the era during which the Shaw family lived there. Will the Taoiseach urge the National Gallery, and all other institutions, to follow the excellent example he has shown within his area of responsibility in assisting the development of this important tourist asset in the centre of Dublin?
Apparently the house is of no particular architectural value and were it not for Shaw's association with it, it would be of no merit at all. The number of people who can contribute is limited for that reason. It really depends now on whether the trust can do what is necessary to ensure their objectives are achieved. I have asked the City Manager and Bord Fáilte to see what they can do to help the Trust in achieving their objectives. I take it that the view of the House is that it would like to see this brought to a successful conclusion and I will continue to take interest in it.
It is what is called vernacular art and it has a merit independent of aesthetics.
There is a view about that.
Arising from the Taoiseach's reply, can he confirm to the House that the National Gallery are empowered to give a substantial contribution from the royalties they get from the Shaw bequest without necessarily endangering any receipts they might get from his Department? Can he confirm that they are not in any sense intimidated by the prospect that if they give money away their position for seeking funding might be somehow or other reduced?
The Deputy knows me better than to suggest anything like that.
It is because I know the Taoiseach that I am asking him to put on the record precisely the fears some people have.
Under no circumstances could I possibly contemplate anything as mean as that.
Would the Taoiseach like to convey that in explicit block letters to the trustees and board of the National Gallery?
The only thing that ever gets me into trouble in this House is my generosity.
It is the selective nature of the Taoiseach's generosity that causes the problems.