Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

It is important that I thank the Minister for his very full reply. I am glad we share the concern about what should happen to these pictures. We should also consider those paintings of regional significance, such as those of Maurice McGonigle, for example, in the west of Ireland, and others that would be appropriate to Dublin. We should consider how best the purposes of the 1953 scheme might be achieved by the paintings being placed for public view. It is of interest that the Heritage Council has offered to be of assistance in this regard and we should use its expertise.

We should establish the provenance of the paintings involved, especially in light of the other implications which arise. That is another question which I am happy to have the Minister investigate, namely, regarding any paintings which may have been offered for sale within the jurisdiction or outside it. I gave the particularly worrying example of the last painting listed in the appendix, the Jack Yeats work, Something Happening in the Street. A remarkably similar painting was offered for sale in Christie's many years after it is noted here as being returned to the Arts Council in 1973. That was in the 1980s.

I am very happy with the Minister's reply and I suggest he use the resources of the Heritage Council. I put it to him that it is in all our interests that we bring the matter to as speedy a conclusion as possible. The Minister would agree.

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