Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress made on the refurbishment works required at the National History Museum and on the promised work on the provision of additional storage facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33937/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, 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 operational matters.

I understand that the National Museum has decided to display some of the Natural History collection in the Riding School, Collins Barracks from the end of January 2009, when other exhibitions taking place in or already scheduled for the Riding School will have ended. The National Museum of Ireland also intends to carry out long-needed conservation works on many of the exhibits in the Natural History Museum and the opportunity to address this work, which is provided by the closure of the Museum for repairs and redevelopment, will be fully utilised.

As negotiations are on-going in relation to the National Museum's storage requirements, including the requirements for the decantation of the Natural History Museum, it would be inappropriate to give further details at this time. Clearly the proposed expenditure on these projects will be dependent on the current Estimates process and in the context of the overall Exchequer position.