Vol. 431 No. 2
10 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Defence if he will give an assurance to Dáil Éireann that the National Museum can be relocated on the site at Collins Barracks in order to allow the museum to make an historic breakthrough in its work of expansion and development.
27 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, which exist to make Collins Barracks available for the good of the community at large.
94 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence if he will give an assurance that the National Museum can be relocated on the site at Collins Barracks in order to allow the museum to make an historic breakthrough in its work of expansion and development.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 27 and 94 together.
An acceptable bid was not received when Collins Barracks was offered for sale by public tender early this year. Accordingly, the Government decided on 9 March, 1993 not to proceed with the sale of the barracks and that the future of the premises should be discussed with the Ministers for Finance, Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and Education. This process is in train and I intend to bring the matter back to Government for consideration as soon as practicable.
Can the Minister give the House any additional information on the timescale or logistics of developing Collins Barracks for the good of the community? Is he aware of the number of proposals that have already been aired publicly, as tends to be the case, ranging from proposals for its use as a museum or even as a prison? Are the Minister to whom he referred in his reply planning to take any action in the near future, or when we might expect some concrete proposals to emerge?
I could not really give a timescale within which some conclusion will be reached on the deliberations in train but it would be my intention to bring to the attention of one of the newly-established Select Committees any proposals that might be put forward in advance of any decision that might be taken elsewhere. It is fair to say that there was a tender offered, that there were a number of people who indicated an interest in the building, but the offers did not reach anywhere near the moneys being sought. In the circumstances, the Minister for Finance consulted his colleagues, the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Higgins, and the Minister for Education, Deputy Bhreathnach, expressing interest in the possibility of the relocation of the National Museum. This would be a good idea in terms of access. Any endeavour to park at the existing location is a joke. The number of artefacts on display is limited because of the space available to them.
I might add that the Dublin Institute of technology has evinced an interest in Collins Barracks and this is being examined. I am glad that the tenders did not succeed because I believe that the present embryonic proposals are good. It is a matter of developing them to the advantage of the community at large.
Can the Minister give the House a commitment that the Government has dispensed with any notion of disposing of this property for other reasons, such as for development purposes? Can he assure the House that Collins Barracks will remain in public ownership, to be used by the National Museum or for similar purposes, bearing in mind the scarcity of available resources and property for the proper development of museums and other public facilities?
Perhaps I might advert to Deputy Sargent's questions in that he indicated the barracks might be used as a prison. That is certainly not on and will not happen.
The Taoiseach himself proposed the idea of a museum and indeed other uses for Collins Barracks, which indicated his concern along the lines expressed by Deputy Barrett. The Taoiseach was the first person to do so. The House can take it from me, not with certainty — because I might be returning to the House to apologise for misleading them — but with almost 100 per cent certainty that the direction Deputy Barrett favours will be followed.
We will watch with interest.
