Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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364. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of export licences for cultural objects that have been granted over the past five years; and the items involved in each case. [39278/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There have been a total of 121 export licences issued by my Department since 2013 under Section 50 of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 and EU Regulation 116-2009 (and subsequent amendments), as appropriate.  Details of these are available on my Department's website at .

In addition, the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) issues export licences primarily for samples of archaeological material for the purpose of research, post excavation analysis, dating and other scientific processes to be carried out outside the jurisdiction by specialists in research laboratories, often attached to universities. Where samples are required for any form of destructive analysis, licences to alter under the terms of the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 would also be sought and issued in tandem with the export licences.  505 such licences have been issued by the NMI since 2013 to present.

Finally, a total of 373 export licences were issued by the National Gallery of Ireland (NGI) since 2013 under Section 51 of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997. Details of these licences are also available on my Department's website at .