asked the Minister for Education if he can state the steps that are adopted to ensure that suitable portraits are added to the National Portrait Gallery, and also whether he has considered the desirability of instituting a Gallery of Contemporary Photographs, in the same manner as the National Portrait Gallery in London.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY.
No separate fund is at the disposal of the Gallery for the acquisition of works for this section, hence the development and increase of the collection has been largely dependent on private gifts. Such portraits as are, from time to time, brought to the notice of the Board of Governors and Guardians are considered, and if found suitable are purchased out of the grant-in-aid for the purchase of pictures.
The question of the desirability of instituting a Gallery of Contemporary Photographs in the same manner as the National Portrait Gallery in London has not been considered by the Board of Governors and Guardians.
Will that question be considered? Will the President also consider the fact that the Municipal Gallery in Harcourt Street has a fine collection of portraits of those prominent in public life about twenty years ago, and does he not think it would be a pity if those who have been responsible for founding the new conditions in Ireland should not be commemorated in some way?
I presume the Deputy will bear in mind the modesty of those people?
I will bear it in mind when I see it.