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National Museum

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 May 2013

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Questions (432)

Paschal Donohoe

Question:

432. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action being taken for the upkeep of State owned artefacts, as these artefacts need to be protected in specialised wrapping that were gathered during the course of excavation works by archaeological companies that have since ceased trading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25353/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Deputy will appreciate that National Museum of Ireland is an independent autonomous body and that I as Minister, have no statutory responsibility in relation to the day-to-day operational issues.

I am advised that the National Museum of Ireland is making every possible effort to ensure the safety and proper storage of artefacts excavated by private archaeological companies. All archaeological excavation in the State is carried out under the terms of a Licence issued by myself as Minister, and those terms confer on the licensed archaeologist a responsibility to care for any artefacts discovered during the excavation until these are deposited with the National Museum of Ireland, or by agreement, with a Designated Local Museum. That responsibility of care includes the requirement to provide for the proper conservation, documentation and packing of the artefacts and because of the complexity of modern archaeological excavation, there can often be a considerable lapse of time between the completion of the on-site phase of excavation works and the final deposition of artefacts.

The Museum operates a dedicated store for artefacts from archaeological excavations in its new Collections Resource Centre. I am further advised by the National Museum that a relatively small number of archaeological companies have ceased trading and in most of these cases the archaeologists involved have continued to work with the National Museum in preparing material for deposition, even after the company had technically ceased trading. As a result, a considerable amount of the artefacts held by these companies has already been deposited in the Museum and most of the remainder is being actively prepared for deposition.

The National Museum continues to maintain active communication with all archaeological companies (including the personnel of companies that have ceased trading) to ensure that everything possible is being done to prepare artefacts for deposition in the Museum, and to ensure that the artefacts are being properly cared for in the meantime.

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