Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to media reports claiming that the National Library had paid €1.17 million to buy certain James Joyce manuscripts of Finnegan's Wake in 2005 (details supplied); if he is investigating the matter; the steps he will take to ensure that the State does not pay more than necessary for the purchase of manuscripts; the measures he is taking to ensure that the State receives value from such transactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42448/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The National Library of Ireland became an autonomous statutory body under the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 on 3rd May 2005. The Board of the National Library is statutorily responsible for the acquisition of material to enlarge its collection.

The purchase in question occurred subsequent to that date. Accordingly, I have no statutory function in the matter.

I understand from the National Library that the material was formally offered to the National Library through Sotheby's in late 2004. The NLI reached agreement on a price with Sotheby's in March 2005 and a contract for sale was signed in June 2005. At the Library's request, the AIB Group facilitated the purchase of the manuscripts by the Library, as it had done with the purchase of the Leon Collection in 2003 and 2004.

The manuscript material in question was donated to the National Library under the provisions of section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 (the "tax credit scheme"). The manuscript was acquired by AIB Group from the vendor and subsequently donated to the Library. All of the relevant procedures were followed in relation to the donation. AIB Group applied for and received a tax credit equivalent to the purchase price under the tax credit scheme.

Independent assessments and valuations were obtained by the National Library and the agreed value of the donation was settled based on those valuations. The donation was also assessed by the Selection Committee that examines proposed donations under the Tax Credit Scheme. The Committee made a favourable determination in relation to the donation and it is understood that the Revenue Commissioners also commissioned an independent valuation of the material.

At no stage was the material on offer to the National Library at a lower price than was subsequently agreed.

The National Library has no knowledge as to what price the vendor paid for the material.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the sum of money paid by the State or State agencies over the past six years to a person (details supplied); the context in which such payments were made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42449/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department was established on 1st October 2002. I will deal with information in respect of the period from that date.

The person named has had a number of contracts with this Department in respect of consultancy, and commemorative festival management and staffing. The payments in respect of the years 2003 to 2006 are as follows:

2003: in respect of Planning and coordinating the Rejoyce festival which ran in 2004.

Fees and staffing and employee costs and expenses €50,058.59.

2004: in respect of Coordinator of the Rejoyce Festival, Fees, Festival staffing and employee costs and expenses: €125,563.58.

2005: in respect of, consultation on Beckett Festival, commencement of Beckett Festival planning and finalisation of Rejoyce. Fees and festival expenses €12,846.18.

2006: in respect of co-ordination, management and staffing of the Beckett Centenary Festival Fees, festival staffing and employee costs and expenses: €92,828.36.

In the period up to the establishment of the National Library on an independent statutory basis (May 2005) payments by the National Library of Ireland to the person in question amounted to €1,001.70 in respect of the transport costs of Joyce material loaned to the Library.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of money paid by the State or State agencies coming under the auspices of his Department for the acquisition of James Joyce manuscripts since 2000; the identity of the persons from whom such manuscripts have been purchased; the amount paid by the National Library for such documents in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42450/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The National Library of Ireland is an autonomous statutory body under the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 since 3rd May 2005. Since that date the Board of the National Library is statutorily responsible for acquisitions.

Joyce related acquisitions by the National Library of Ireland in the period from 2000 to May 2005 are detailed beneath:

Acquisition of James Joyce manuscripts by the National Library of Ireland 2000-2005: Circe Manuscript. Bought at auction December 2000. Purchase price IR£1,384,953.81. 2002 Ulysses, Finnegan's Wake, etc. Vendor; Mr and Mrs Alexis Leon. Funded by the Heritage Fund and Section 1003 (tax credit scheme). Total agreed price £STG8m. Details as follows: 2002 Heritage Fund (€4,207,952.04); 2003 Heritage Fund (€894,454.48) and Section 1003 (AIB Group)(€2,984,877.40); 2004 Heritage Fund (€1,196,866.39) and Section 1003 (AIB Group) (€2,796,004).

I am informed by the National Library that it acquired a further Joyce Manuscript (of Finnegan's Wake) in June 2005.

Following the precedent of the Leon purchase, in order to facilitate the acquisition by the National Library, this manuscript was acquired by AIB Group from the Vendor — Ms Laura Barnes — and subsequently donated by the Group to the National Library. A.I.B. Group applied for and received a tax credit equivalent to the purchase price of €1,170,794.86 under Section 1003 of the Taxes (Consolidation) Act, 1997.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 352: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism who has the responsibility for sanctioning expenditure by the State or State agencies on the acquisition of Joycean manuscripts by the National Library; the extent to which the sanctioning of such purchases and the processes adopted are reviewed by the accounting officer of his Department to ensure that best value is being obtained by the State and all necessary issues of probity and procurement are being respected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42451/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I have no statutory function for the matters in the Question as the NLI is an autonomous statutory body under the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 since 3rd May 2005. The Board of the National Library is statutorily responsible for acquisitions.