Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

He has been clearly identified.

I understand that the Minister was a party to a High Court action taken this week by An Taisce, represented by Tim Smyth of Phelim O'Neill Solicitors and heard by Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns. An Taisce sought to challenge the granting of export licences for the art works. The case will come before the courts again on 3 July. An Taisce called for a high level of political intervention and branded the sale an" international scandal", with a secret sale also having taken place already, according to an article in the Irish Daily Mail on 17 June. An Taisce is also represented on the Beit Foundation by its vice chairperson, Consuelo O'Connor.

I understand that the Minister was informed two days in advance of the public announcement by Christie's on 28 April but she took no action to prevent the sale of these priceless works of art. She does not deserve to be called the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. How can she allow this to take place on her watch? How can she stand idly by while the Beit Foundation sells priceless works of art on the markets of London? The Phoenix magazine will publish an article tomorrow about the Minister's activities. It claims that a freedom of information request to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht returned just one record related to the issue, an e-mail dated 30 April from Ian Lumley of An Taisce to the Minister requesting her intervention to avert the sale and seeking an urgent meeting to discuss a proposal that might keep the paintings in Ireland. It has taken the Minister almost six weeks to express her concern and it was only this week that she got around to meeting the chair of the Alfred Beit Foundation, Ms Judith Woodworth. It is a bit late in the day to be starting to give a damn.

In 1985 this issue came up in these Houses. The legislation on the export of art works was to be reviewed and a high level committee was set up under Mr. Justice Liam Hamilton. The Minister at that time was Deputy Ted Nealon but no action was taken. Furthermore, on 9 May in 1923 in this House, William Butler Yeats referred to the Hugh Lane paintings which were donated to this country and expressed concern at the lack of Government action in that regard at the time.

I note that the Minister met the chair and two other trustees of the Alfred Beit Foundation last Tuesday on the instructions of the Taoiseach. I do not think she had any interest in meeting them but was directed to do so by the Taoiseach.