Donal Carey
Question:20 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the proposals, if any, she has to expand aid to the Hunt Museum. [17326/97]
Written Answers - Hunt Museum.
I have no plans to expand further the substantial level of support already being given to the Hunt Museum by my Department. A sum in excess of £1.1 million was provided by my Department in the form of EU related Structural and Exchequer funds in addition to that substantial assistance provided by other agencies to help convert the Custom House, Limerick, to house the Hunt Museum. The proposers of the Hunt Museum project put forward the project on the basis that it would be self-sustaining after the initial start-up phase. Accordingly a commitment was given to provide an annual grant for a period of five years of not more than £100,000 at 1995 prices to help the museum in its first operational phase on the understanding that after an initial period of five years the Hunt Museum would then be self-supporting. This situation will be reviewed in due course in the light of the experience of the actual operation of the museum which was opened to the public earlier this year.
Apart from the ongoing aid being provided to the Hunt Museum by way of direct grant the recently enacted National Cultural Institutions Act provides that the Hunt Museum may avail of an indemnity provision under the Act in respect of exhibitions originating from outside the State. I am anxious to explore how this option may be exploited in the future and hope that this provision may be utilised by the Hunt Museum to develop a comprehensive programme of specialist exhibitions thereby enhancing the standing of the Hunt Museum as an important cultural institution.
I am informed that the museum is already putting in place a sustainable operation with over 20,000 paying customers in the first seven months of operation and that in addition there have been considerable moneys collected by way of voluntary donations other than in the form of admission charges. I understand that valuable links are being and have been forged with the local community and educational programmes are being developed. I am pleased to say that on the basis of the foregoing the Hunt Museum would appear to be well into the process of becoming a major cultural force in the Limerick region thus justifying the faith of the Hunt family who made the very generous donations of the core collections that have made the Hunt Museum a living reality.