asked the Minister for Education if he will state for how long the Director of the National Museum of Ireland has been absent from his position; whether he is the same person as Dr. A. Mahr, Keeper of Irish Antiquities Division; for how long his absence from duty will be excused; and when and by what method a successor will be appointed in the event of these positions being declared vacant.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Museum Director.
The Director of the National Museum has been absent from his position since July, 1939. He is the same person as Dr. A. Mahr, Keeper of the Irish Antiquities Division. I am not in a position to make any statement regarding the duration of Dr. Mahr's absence, and as the positions which he held in the museum have not been declared vacant, the question of appointing a successor has not yet been considered.
Am I to understand that this gentleman returned to Nazi Germany in time to take part in the nefarious activities of the Nazis in that country and now, having backed the wrong horse, he is sitting there waiting to come back and land here as soon as the opportunity offers? Does the Minister think that such a person is a suitable person to reinstate as director of Ireland's museum, and, if he does not, will he terminate his employment with the equitable compensation and get some respectable citizen of this country to discharge the important duties of the two offices mentioned in my question?
Dr. Mahr was appointed the official Irish representative to the Sixth International Congress of Archaeology to be held in Berlin in August, 1939, and he left Ireland in the preceding month to attend that congress, bringing his family with him to spend a holiday in his native home in Austria. When war became imminent, he tried to return to Dublin but was unable to do so, owing to the delay in bringing his family from Austria. He then reported to the Irish Chargé d'Affaires, with a view to getting a "safe conduct" to return to Ireland, but it was not possible to have this done and he was granted leave of absence without pay until circumstances permitted him to resume his position. I am not in a position to say anything further at the moment, nor can I say when Dr. Mahr will be in a position to resume.
If this gentleman turns up to-morrow with the battle-stained flag of Nazi Germany wrapped around him, will he be reinstalled in this position? Will we go on retaining a gentleman seated in Germany for the last six years so long as the going was good?
How do you know he is a Nazi? Are all Germans Nazis?
I am putting a supplementary question. Will we retain this gentleman, or will we say to him: "Your position is now vacated. If there is any compensation equitably due to you under your original agreement, we will give it to you and advertise the position so that some competent Irish scholar can discharge the duties of this job," or will we install him indefinitely as the Director of the National Museum?
The matter is being considered. No definite decision has been come to, pending a clarification of the position as to whether Dr. Mahr will be in a position to return to his post. The Government may come to a decision in the matter. No decision has been come to so far. As I have said, the position has not been declared vacant and the question of appointing a successor does not arise. I do not think the House would expect me to answer the statement that Deputy Dillon has made, nor do I consider it within my province. I think the Deputy has rather exceeded the privileges which apply to him as a member of the House in the statement he has made regarding a person who is still, technically at any rate, an officer of the Irish Civil Service.
"Technically" is good. When will you make up your mind about it, one way or the other?