John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps he has taken to quantify, register and secure the works of art that belong to the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4472/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The national cultural institutions under the aegis of my Department own important collections of art and other artefacts on behalf of the State. Whilst my Department provides funding to those institutions, the board of each institution is responsible for all operational matters, including the quantification, registration and securing of artworks, and I do not have a statutory function in respect of such matters. Notwithstanding this, my Department maintains appropriate contact with the institutions on the subject of their security measures and the arrangements in place 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 be moved to secure State facilities. I have also ensured, in the light of this incident, that a review be carried out of procedures and protocols in relation to the storage of art and artefacts by my Department. 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.