Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the policy which exists regarding the retention of important art work here; and if his attention has been drawn to the imminent private sale of works (details supplied). [12713/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The national collecting cultural institutions, consisting of the National Archives, the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, the National Museum of Ireland, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art are charged with collecting and displaying cultural objects, including artworks, in Ireland. These institutions are provided with funding by my Department, including funding for acquisitions. The institutions may also avail of the heritage fund under the Heritage Fund Act 2001 and the provisions of section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, may also be used to make acquisitions. The institutions are autonomous in regard to the artifacts they wish to acquire having regard to the financial resources available to them.

My Department, has no involvement in the acquisitions process, other than through sanctioning the use of the heritage fund in accordance with the provisions of the Act and providing a secretariat to the section 1003 selection committee.