Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the status of the National History Museum; if work to restore this building has begun; when the building will be reopened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36795/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the National Museum of Ireland has commenced work on the documentation of exhibits in the Natural History Museum. The opportunity to address this work, which is provided by the closure of the Museum, will be fully utilised.

The National Museum intends to display some of the Natural History collection in the Riding School, Collins Barracks from the end of January 2009. The primary purpose of the Riding school exhibition is to provide an alternative public display for a portion of the Natural History Museum exhibits, while the building remains closed for redevelopment. The style of the exhibition is intended to reflect the familiar vintage exhibition, using popular exhibits and using some furnishings relocated from the Natural History Museum. The theme of the exhibition is two fold, based on the subtitle 'Past and Present', which reflects the history and future plans for the museum, and also the past populations of animals in Ireland since the Ice Age and the changing face of the Irish fauna through habitat loss and climate change. In addition to animals familiar from the Natural History Museum, the exhibition will include some fossils, minerals and rocks from the National Museum's geological collections.

The Natural History Museum is a much-loved Institution and my Department, the Office of Public Works and the National Museum are examining options for early commencement of the restoration works so that it will be re-opened as soon as possible.