Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps he has taken to address security issues around art pieces held in storage by the Irish State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53024/12]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in locating missing pieces of art owned by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53026/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 50 together.

The national cultural institutions under the aegis of my Department own important collections of art and other artefacts on behalf of the State. In 2012 my Department wrote twice to the institutions on the subject of their security measures and arrangements to ensure the protection of the collections in their care.

My Department also owns a number of pieces of art and other artefacts in its own right in a number of properties. In this regard, an investigation is underway by An Garda Síochána in relation to the loss of a number of items held in private storage on behalf of my Department. My Department is providing such assistance as it can in this matter. In the meantime, I have arranged that, where appropriate, art and other artefacts owned by my Department and held in storage should be moved to secure State facilities. I have also put in place a review of procedures and protocols in relation to the storage of art and artefacts by my Department in the light of this incident.

It should also be noted that the Office of Public Works separately is responsible for the care and management of art pieces in a wide range of State property.