Vol. 539 No. 2
148 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands her views on the professional and academic staffing levels currently in the National Museum, National Library and the National Archives; the plans she has for the recruitment of further staff; if she will make a statement on the conditions within these important State institutions; and the plans she has for their further development. [19231/01]
Staffing at all levels, including professional and academic in the National Museum, National Library and the National Archives are regularly monitored and are the subject of regular dialogue between officials of my Department and the Department of Finance. Similarly, recruitment of additional staff to fill both newly-approved posts and existing vacancies is an ongoing process involving my Department and the Civil Service Commission. Vacancy levels fluctuate depending on conditions in employment markets generally, but with the support of the Commission the time taken to fill approved vacancies is reducing. We will shortly be recruiting professional staff at archivist and conservator levels for two of our institutions.
With regard to plans for development at the Cultural Institutions, the refurbishment of the former National College of Art and Design for the National Library of Ireland is almost complete and a new off-site storage facility has been provided at City West. The current multi-phase programme will see the refurbishment of number four Kildare Street and the completion of a new repository at the back of numbers two to five Kildare Street.
A multi-million investment programme is also under way at the National Museum of Ireland. The provision of new facilities at Collins Barracks has provided additional space for the display of artefacts and for staff accommodation. In addition, a new facility is being provided at Turlough Park House, Castlebar, County Mayo for the National Folk Collection and a scheme of refurbishment works for the premises at Kildare Street is being prepared.
At my request, the Minister for Finance has recently approved proposals for the development of the site provision of new accommodation for the National Archives at Bishop Street, Dublin including exploitation of the development potential of the existing site.
The completion of the current capital programme will greatly improve the conditions within these national cultural institutions.
