asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that many valuable manuscripts are at present leaving the country; and whether he intends to take any action in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Loss of Manuscripts.
27.
The only manuscripts over the export of which I have any control are those which come within the provisions of the Documents and Pictures (Regulation of Export) Act, 1945. Section 4 (2) of the Act provides as follows:—
Where an application is made to the Minister for an export licence to export an article to which this Act applies, the Minister may request the applicant to afford the Minister such facilities as he may think necessary for the making within a reasonable time of photographic copies of the article, and in that case he shall not grant the export licence unless the request has been complied with.
It is not feasible to provide funds for the purchase of all manuscripts which come on the market from time to time. The most that can be reasonably undertaken is to make provision for the purchase of those of particular interest to the country.
Would the Minister agree that the legislation is very defective at present and that we have not adequate legislation to prevent valuable manuscripts from leaving the country?
I do not know whether, in our particular circumstances, further legislation would prove to be helpful.