Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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29. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action she will take with regard to the sale of paintings by the Alfred Beit Foundation; her views on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23872/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The sale of these paintings is a matter for the committee of management of the Alfred Beit Foundation, which owns and operates Russborough House. My Department has no function in relation to the administration or sale of these artworks.

However, I did meet on Tuesday night with the Chair of the Alfred Beit Foundation and two other Trustees. I asked the Chair if it would be possible to delay the sale, or to consider withdrawing the paintings from auction, to provide some time to explore all other possible options that would involve my Department and the Office of Public Works. The Trustees declined to either delay or cancel the sale, citing the fact that they would incur a liability of £1.4 million for breaking an agreement with the auction house handling the sale, with which they entered a contract several months ago.

I was only informed last month of the decision in relation to the sale - several months after the Foundation had entered into an agreement with the auction house to have the paintings sold. The fact remains that my Department does not have the discretionary funds necessary - believed to be in the order of €12 million - to buy the paintings. I will continue to see if any other possible options can be explored. This, however, will be very difficult given that the sale is to proceed next month.