Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 3

Written Answers. - Public Buildings Opening.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

199 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the hours that the National Museum and National Library are open to the public; if it would be beneficial if both institutions had similar opening hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30248/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The National Museum and National Library are open to the public as follows:

National Museum
Tuesday-Saturday	10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday	2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday	Closed
National Library
Monday-Wednesday	10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Thursday-Friday	10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday	10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Within the National LibraryManuscripts Reading Room is open as follows:
Monday-Wednesday	10:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Thursday-Friday	10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday	10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Readers Ticket Office is open asfollows:
Monday-Wednesday	10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday-Friday	10:00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday	10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The opening hours of the National Museum and the National Library have been set to facilitate optimum access by the public to these institutions having regard to the financial resources available.

I am not aware of any particular advantage which would attach to the introduction of similar opening hours for both institutions given the disparate requirements of visitors to both institutions.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

200 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the hours that the Collins Barracks Museum is open to the public; the number of people that visit the museum on a weekly basis; the additional requirements of the museum authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30249/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

The National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The annual visitor numbers for this site totals approximately 150,000, which taking seasonal variations into account, shows an average attendance of 3,000 visitors per week.

Collins Barracks represents one strand of the national museum's operations. As part of a normal consultative process, the museum authorities advise my Department of its plans and objectives in line with its strategic development plan. It accordingly seeks the necessary resources to meet these needs on a regular planned basis.