Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am sure both institutions will respond well to the exhortation that they would continue to deliver the quality public service that they always have delivered. One need only go into the National Library, which is next door to the Houses, and see the amazing and valuable work that is done there for the State and the people of Ireland in terms of facilitating scholars and members of the public. It is an immensely important public institution. Equally, great work is done in the National Archives. One need only look at the digitisation of the census of 1901 and 1911 and the production of the really high quality material that has been produced for and made available to the public. The people who work in those institutions will not be found wanting in their efforts. Equally, we, as politicians and legislators, and the Government must play our part and we owe it not only to the institutions and the people who work there, but to the people of Ireland to do that. We often say what is at issue is about the people of Ireland when we make points in the Dáil. This is crucially about our history, heritage and future access by scholars and citizens to vital assets and resources. It is important that the discussions in which the Minister is engaging will be shared with the public - I am sure he will do that - and that we will have a public discussion on these issues. That is vitally important. The rationale for decisions, a cost-benefit analysis, ascertaining if there is a saving in this respect, and a regulatory impact assessment must be addressed. I have doubts about whether there will be a cost saving here give the pressures for space and everything else these institutions have.

I very much doubt that Professor Ferriter would make this decision lightly, that he would lightly say that he was exposed to what he called "offensive and disingenuous double-speak". I do not know the source of what caused him to say that but that is a statement he made and I do not believe he would have made it lightly. Nor do I believe that similar remarks, which I do not have to hand, were made lightly by the recently retired director of the National Museum, Pat Wallace, when he retired and spoke of his frustration not so much about decisions that were being made, but about other matters. People understand and are working with the necessity to make cuts in terms of funding but the issue is how we deal with people who have an expertise. They should not be placed on a pedestal and treated like gods but they should be involved in this assessment, work and in this debate. If anything has happened in terms of how this particular person was treated which has caused him to pull himself out of the picture in regard to this, that is extremely regrettable and an effort should be made to repair that rupture, if it is possible, because this is an extremely important area for all of us.

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