Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)

This is a time of enormous flux and uncertainty for the country and its citizens but certain constants remain, among which are our cultural, literary and artistic heritage. The ongoing debate about national identity and sovereignty that continued today with the publication of the Van Rompuy pre-summit report - I am speaking in the right debate - has profound importance for the country but, arising from what is happening in Europe, we may at some point in the future decide it is in our national interest to pool more of our political and economic sovereignty. While we have already done so to a considerable extent we may yet agree to pool more. However, we will never have to pool or give up any aspect of our cultural or artistic heritage. It is ours and the only threat that exists to it is the possibility that we may fail to protect and nurture it sufficiently. That is entirely in our own hands and there will be no one else to blame if we fail in our responsibility.

The Minister correctly pointed out that the House has traditionally taken a non-partisan approach on this issue. All the parties in this House that have been in government have acted to protect our cultural and artistic heritage. At a time of severe financial crisis we have to work together to ensure this work is not undone in any way, even unwittingly. We should assess reform proposals carefully and sensitively because what we are dealing with is more precious than practically anything else.

The issue of the independence and autonomy of the cultural institutions has been raised. I support those who say they should be valued and maintained. The legislation introduced in 1997 by the then Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, President Michael D. Higgins, was progressive in nature. As he pointed out, every report commissioned since the 1920s concluded that the departmental structure was a poor basis for managing and developing the National Museum and the National Library. We should be slow to do anything that might change or undermine the autonomy of either of those institutions.

Deputy Martin could not resist the opportunity to cut quickly to the political advantage he thought he might extract by suggesting the Government is acting dishonestly. The Deputy comes from a party that made a premium out of dishonesty. There was a time when it was impossible to know whether one could believe anything that party said. There were even times when one assumed the truth was the opposite of what it said. We are carefully, honestly and rationally considering what we have to do in respect of all our institutions, including our cultural institutions. Deputy Martin utterly lacks credibility when he claims that his party was about to take the same approach but never got around to it and is now opposed to it. He should look to his own party when he speaks about honesty.

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