Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 November 2016
379. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to bid to purchase the Pearse letter of surrender which is now on display in the GPO and is reported to be going for auction in December 2016, in view of the historical importance of the letter to the nation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36284/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere exist a number of historically important original documents in the possession of the State written by Pádraig Pearse during the 1916 Rising and during his subsequent imprisonment. Following consultation with the relevant institutions under the aegis of my Department, it is a shared view that the amount being sought for this one letter – between €1m and €1.5m - was not justifiable in terms of expenditure of public monies and in the context of historical material already held.
