Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We wish the theatre well and I do not wish to go over old ground. Per Cent for Art is a public sculpture scheme that is available for installations along motorways and at other major capital projects. I am interested that the Government has the ability to commission major capital projects. One such project, the national children's hospital, is in the news for the wrong reasons but there are other schemes. Is it intended to ensure that art forms part of those works, whether in public view, in the corridors of a building or elsewhere? Will the Minister elaborate on that?

The committee previously heard presentations from the Local Authority Museum Network, which represents smaller, local museums, in which it explained the additional burdens on local museums and, in some cases, the need to access funding for works around the museum and for security. The network stated when people visit local museums, in many ways the museums do not have the security or wherewithal to protect their works in the way they should, and that it would be easier for them to digitalise some of their collections, put them on display in facsimile and send them back to the families who granted them access or send them to the national programme. In my dealings with the national institutions, I have noted their strong desire to make as much of their collections as possible available to the public online, given the new technology available.

I had hoped to attend a highly successful project in the past two weeks, namely, the digitalisation of pension and other records, which is being run by the Department of Defence. The project is accessible and the website receives a high number of hits from around the world. An online study programme for the Book of Kells has been made available this week by Trinity College and anybody can take part in it. It is another example of our national treasures being made available beyond our shores and beyond their physical limits. I am interested to learn whether the funding that is available can be considered for the future. Two other museums have been mooted, including moving the Garda museum from Dublin Castle to Kevin Street where the original Peeler station - it was not a Garda station - existed. Is that being considered now that Kevin Street Garda station has been fully built and the old building can be vacated?

Representatives of the Heritage Council appeared before the committee on a number of occasions in the past year, including once or twice since I took over the Chair. The council sought funding to ensure it would have the full cohort of staff it requires. Representatives from the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network also appeared before the committee and appealed for funding to be made available through the Minister's good offices or through local authorities in order that each local authority could have a heritage officer in place.

I was delighted to hear the Minister mention the additional money to address invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed, rhododendrons and another which I cannot remember. It appears from legislation that only two species are reportable. If one sees Japanese knotweed and the other weed, which is yellow, one is supposed to report it and the local authority is supposed to take action. In the case of the yellow one, which is usually seen on derelict building sites and so on, there does not seem to be any action taken to remove it or stop its spread. On rhododendrons, the Minister mentioned Killarney National Park, which is being strangled by rhododendrons. However, it is not the only major heritage area that needs the wherewithal and personnel to deal with this. Members of a men's shed travelled to Killarney on separate weekends this year to try to help because all that is needed to remove rhododendrons is labour. The question is how we can encourage that type of meitheal or attitude. While I accept some funding is available, it is not only a matter of funding. Rather, we must try to mobilise the local community to get stuck in and remove the plants. I do not know enough about Japanese knotweed but I think it is strangling our waterways and the same type of action might be required, that is, physical work rather than funding. While the latter will help, it needs to be spent and the local authorities need to ensure it is spent on as many people as possible.

On the recent scandalous attack on St. Michan's Church and the beheading of the crusader, although the head has, thankfully, been returned, this incident strengthens the call for an increase to the historic structures fund in order that security can become a part of it. It should not just cover the protection of the structure but also the exterior and surveillance to ensure that people will be discouraged from carrying out such actions.

There have been other attacks and wanton vandalism of some of our historical structures.

The canal is just outside my door. If I throw a stone from my back garden, it lands in the canal in Dublin. The problem with the Grand Canal is that it is the responsibility of Waterways Ireland, which is not under the aegis of the Department. Few barges travel on the Grand Canal, except on certain weekends. The towpath is fine on one side but in the Bluebell, Inchicore and Clondalkin areas, there is land on both sides of the canal, which should be enhanced. This is not a criticism of the grant this year. I simply wish to encourage Waterways Ireland and the local authorities that back onto the canal to plan something that can be worked on quickly. The land is there and its improvement could be delivered quickly.

I will let the Minister answer those questions, before posing more.

An é go gcaithfidh an tAire Stáit imeacht?