Vol. 504 No. 1
24 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands when the National Folklore will open in Westport, County Mayo; when staff will transfer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11166/99]
I was pleased to announce on 18 April the awarding of the contract for the development of the new Irish folklife collection of the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park in Castlebar, County Mayo in association with Mayo County Council. Work is now beginning on this major project at a cost of £9 million in EU-Exchequer and county council funds, which will see the transfer of a substantial part of the folklife collection from storage in Daingean, County Offaly to new purpose-built facilities in County Mayo. As a project grant-aided with EU Structural Funds, the schedule of works envisages a completion date and opening to the public in the last quarter of 2000.
Recruitment and transfer of staff to this facility will occur as necessary during the preparation period as determined by the management of the National Museum of Ireland.
