Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Since the National Museum of Ireland became an autonomous statutory body under the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 on 3rd May 2005, the Board of the National Museum is statutorily responsible for operational matters concerning its collection and I, as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, do not have a statutory function in respect of those operational matters. The National Museum is responsible for the care and protection of Ireland's portable heritage, which comprises a vast number and variety of artefacts. As a collecting institution with responsibility for their preservation and conservation as well as their display, it would not be possible for the Museum to place all of the National Collection on display at any given time. However, the Museum has a continuing policy of exhibition development at each of its sites to facilitate greater access to and interpretation of the National Collection.

The National Museum of Ireland has an on-going practice of facilitating loans to county museums and other such bodies that meet the necessarily stringent requirements of security, safety and public access. This practice has resulted in a number of substantial loans being made to designated county and other museums, including the Kerry County Museum.