Vol. 399 No. 4
1 Mr. McCartan asked the Taoiseach if he has any proposal in his own Department or in consultation with any other Government Department to promote the development and establishment of more county museums in the country, in view of their important contribution to supporting our national treasures and culture; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
2 Mr. McCartan asked the Taoiseach if he will outline his proposals for the future display of the National Folklife Collection currently in store at Daingean, County Offaly; if he has considered dispersing the collection to suitable local and regional locations as a means of securing the future of the collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
3 Mr. McCartan asked the Taoiseach the way in which the plans to house portion of the collections of the National Museum at the Custom House Docks site differ from those originally proposed; and if any display will be opened at the Custom House Docks site during 1991.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 together.
The Director of the National Museum is considering a number of proposals regarding the possible establishment and development of more local museums throughout the country. In principle, the lending of parts of the National Collection, including parts of the Folklife Collection, at present housed at Daingean, County Offaly, is accepted by the museum. It must be appreciated, however, that the suitability of the space provided and the types of artefacts which can be safely displayed there are matters for the professional judgment of the director and his staff. Questions arising in that context are primarily a matter for resolution between the director of the National Museum and senior local authority management. My Department will, of course, endeavour to facilitate the successful conclusion of these negotiations.
In addition, the National Heritage Council is formulating recommendations on the development of regional museums which could provide a framework for the National Museum's activities in this area.
As I indicated to the House on 1 May, plans for the creation of a museum at the Custom House Docks envisage the development there of a decorative arts and folklife museum. This museum will contain nearly 100,000 square feet as compared with 66,000 square feet in the museum's Kildare Street premises. There are a number of possibilities for the exact location of the proposed museum in the development, and the merits of the different possibilities are being examined within the context of the commitment by the development company to provide the necessary built space. It is envisaged that construction work on the museum premises at the Custom House Docks site will start in 1991 as part of the Dublin City of Culture project and that the museum will open in the following year.
I thank the Taoiseach for his composite reply to the three questions in my name.
May I first deal with the question of the development of a nationwide scheme of county museums? Can I take it that the Taoiseach is aware that the National Museum may lend part of its collection only to properly established permanent county museums staffed from local authority sources? Would the Taoiseach agree that any development of such a scheme is a far greater undertaking than the Director of the National Museum could initiate and would require substantial support from either central Government or local government funds? Is the Taoiseach's Department taking any active role in advancing the kind of resources needed to put such a nationwide scheme in place?
I dealt with those points in my reply. As I said, it is primarily a matter for the Director of the National Museum who accepts in principle the policy and he is discussing with the various local authorities concerned what might be done. My Department will facilitate these discussions. I am not at this stage, indeed I am not sure if I will ever be, in a position to commit any funds from central Government for this purpose.
I take the point the Taoiseach has made, but is he aware that there are about five county museums in the country and there is no prospect of that number being increased without aid or support from central Government coming through his Department? Second, could I ask the Taoiseach to indicate how many local authorities the director is currently negotiating with with a view to establishing county museums?
I am not sure, but there are ongoing discussions between the director and senior local authority people.
