Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for arranging for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Humphreys to come before this House to report on the position regarding the proposed sale of seven invaluable works of art at Christie's in London on Thursday, 9 July 2015. The lot includes a painting entitled Venus and Jupiter by Flemish artist, Peter Paul Rubens and two views of Venice by the eighteenth century artist, Francesco Guardi. It is estimated that the sale will raise €11 million or more. Will the Minister explain why section 49 of the National Cultural Institutions Act of 1997 was not implemented and why no commencement order for other parts of the Act was made in 2005? The Act was brought by the then Minister and now President Michael D. Higgins through both Houses of the Oireachtas. Why was this power delegated to the National Gallery of Ireland and its director, Mr. Sean Rainbird, who is also a trustee of the Alfred Beit Foundation at Russborough House? Surely this represents a clear conflict of interest. How could the director of the National Gallery of Ireland have agreed to the sale of these paintings? He is in charge of the priceless collection at the National Gallery. Where next will he go to raise funds to pay for the cranes that are now swaying over the gallery? Will he sell some of the marvellous paintings ---