Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 June 2014
30. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on his plans to reform the governing structures of the national cultural institutions; if he is satisfied with their current activities; if he will consider requesting that the national cultural institutions ensure their open hours also cater to citizens who are in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24466/14]
View answerIn response to the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan published in November 2011, my Department conducted a critical examination of the structure and operation of a range of cultural institutions and bodies, including the National Gallery of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Art Gallery Cork, the National Library, the National Museum, the National Archives, the Irish Manuscripts Commission and the National Concert Hall. The review was submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, following which it was considered and accepted by Government. My Department subsequently drafted General Schemes for a number of National Cultural Institutions Bills, which have since been approved by Government. The Heads of Bill Have been submitted to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting and to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht for pre-legislative scrutiny, as considered appropriate.
The key reforms being progressed for the National Cultural Institutions relate to:
- Governance, including a streamlining of Boards;
- Reinforcement of curatorial independence and identity;
- Shared supports; and
- Statutory underpinning.
The Government has decided in relation to the legislation that:
- The legislation underpinning the National Gallery of Ireland is to be updated appropriately;
- The statutory accountability framework supporting IMMA and the Crawford Art Gallery is to be clarified;
- The existing National Archives governance model is to be deployed to the National Library and the National Museum;
- Statutory curatorial and operational independence is to be underscored for the Directors of the two institutions;
- The current boards of the National Library and National Museum are to be replaced with smaller Advisory Councils, which will operate pro bono and provide, inter alia, advice to the Minister;
- The National Archives Act 1986 will be updated appropriately; and
- The National Concert Hall will in the future operate as a statutory body under primary legislation.
Opening hours are a matter for the management of the institutions and are kept under routine review. Most of the institutions open on Saturdays to facilitate the public and all of them have websites that provide access to sections of their collections and resources. On-line collections are added to, as resources permit. Alternative means of access and the question of public opening times in general are amongst the matters being discussed with the institutions as part of the implementation of the Government's Public Sector Reform Plan and in the context of the Haddington Road Agreement.
