asked the Minister for Education if there are many valuable paintings stored in the cellars of the National Gallery; and, if so, if he will have some of them loaned to Cork and other provincial centres which can provide suitable galleries, where they could be exhibited to advantage.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Gallery Paintings.
53.
It is a fact that there are a number of pictures stored in the cellars of the National Gallery at present. Many of these will be placed on exhibition in the Gallery when the new extension is completed in about a year's time. As is the case in every major Art Gallery there will always be a number of paintings which will not be on exhibition all the time. Some works are in fact valuable as records rather than as paintings for exhibition.
The question of loaning some pictures for exhibition in provincial centres is one for examination by the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery in the first instance. I am aware that the Director has this matter under active consideration at the present time.
Some of them are stored in the cellar of this House too.