Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he is satisfied that the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of the National Museum can be implemented; the timescale in which the necessary funding will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18402/08]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the report issued by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the National Museum of Ireland; the action he has taken or plans to take to rectify some of the problems identified in this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17664/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 104 together.

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 operational matters.

This Department is in discussion with the Museum regarding the resources which are required to implement the recommendations in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report on the National Museum of Ireland.

In 2008, this Department provided the National Museum with a funding allocation of in excess of €19 million. Within the overall allocation, funding was specifically provided to commence the establishment of an inventory control system and the introduction of extended opening hours, which were two key recommendations in the report.

A number of key issues relating to the storage of the national collection held by the Museum are to be addressed in the context of the funding provided in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 to meet storage requirements for the national cultural collecting institutions and in the context of the development of the new Centre Block galleries in Collins Barracks, which will offer significant options for the display and storage of key elements of the national collection held by the Museum.