Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the recommendation within the Special Group on Public Services Numbers and Expenditure Report to introduce small entrance charges at national cultural institutions here; if he will support this idea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32333/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The proposals in the Report of Special Group on Public Sector Numbers and Expenditure Programmes (McCarthy Report) have not been adopted by the Government as policy but are rather a suite of options which will be considered in the context of the 2010 Estimates.

The generally held view among the cultural institutions here and abroad is that the introduction of admission charges will reduce visitor numbers, will deter repeat visits and will shift the institutions to a more elitist status by creating a barrier to attendance by lower income groups.

In the case of the National Museum of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland, the introduction of admission charges to these Institutions, other than to any special exhibition or event, would require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas under the provisions of Section 14. 8 of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997. In addition, the cost of introducing the required administrative arrangements to collect entrance fees would have to be considered and some bequests received by institutions are conditional on access to them being free of charge.

Full consideration will be given to any likely impact on the National Cultural Institutions which the introduction of such a charge is likely to have.