Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2012
293 Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on progress made in relation to plans to merge the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission with the National Library; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32990/12]
View answerAs Deputy will be aware, the Government's Public Service Reform Plan, published by Minister Howlin on 17 November last, contains a number of actions in respect of my own Departmental remit. These include the amalgamation of the National Library, the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission. At the outset, I would like to underline the value which I place on the role of the National Cultural Institutions in this country. They are the custodians of our arts and cultural heritage. They also have a key role in scholarship and the national discourse. That is why €47.25 million is provided for our cultural institutions and bodies in the 2012 Estimates. The critical role that art and culture play in attracting tourists to Ireland is also well recognised. Cultural tourism is now a key element of Ireland's tourism industry and the National Cultural Institutions play a very significant role in that respect. The institutions funded by my Department attracted over 3 million visitors in 2011.
In the overall context of the Public Service Reform agenda, one of my key concerns is to ensure that all options are examined so that the most appropriate implementation approach can be adopted for each institution. The artistic and curatorial autonomy of the cultural institutions is, of course, a major consideration in this regard. The fact is, however, that all of our cultural institutions are facing very difficult challenges in the times ahead, particularly in relation to resources and funding. Given the difficult economic circumstances, there has been a considerable reduction in Exchequer funding over the last number of years and this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
My Department is consulting with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at present, following which these matters will be submitted to Government.
