Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for a very engaging conversation on our museums. To pick up on Dr. Whitty's point on the local network museums, I come from a rural constituency, Mayo. Certainly our local authorities have done fantastic work in networking both our domestic and international tourism offerings. It is hugely important that we work collaboratively on that. I refer to getting an understanding of how that collaboration works with the local authorities and how it is included in draft development plans going forward in order that it becomes a strategic pillar of what is happening locally. Dr. Whitty referenced that 68% of museums are independent and 32% are either governed by a Department or a public body. That implies that there are huge issues or challenges around funding for independent organisations and how we address the shortfall and the deficits. There would be challenges around insurance, resources, electricity and so forth, especially after the past 18 months where they probably had to continue to pay the bills but had a huge drop off in revenue.

I thank Ms Scarff for her input into the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life in Castlebar, which got funding of €350,000 recently for enhancement and an extension of the entrance. It is coming up to its 20th anniversary and we are hugely proud of what we have in Mayo. It is one of four institutions nationwide, and the only one outside Dublin. Thankfully, Mayo has something to show and it certainly has been used for a multitude of events. Mayo day was held two years ago and there was fantastic advertising globally of what we have in the only museum outside Dublin. Well done on that. If there is anything we can do locally, please get in contact.

In regard to collaboration, research, training and development, are there discussions around technological universities, which are being established all across the country, and around our universities? Ms O'Kelly touched on an awareness campaign and how we can work collaboratively with primary and secondary schools to ensure people are educated on our history and culture and the significance of what we have within our own regions. I would be interested to hear the witnesses thoughts on that and how we can improve the educational element around it.

On the commitment to the establishment of a national or public strategy to govern both our independent museums, how would that be developed? How would it be funded and how can we, as Oireachtas committee members, support that initiative?