Dáil Éireann - Volume 523 - 11 October, 2000

Written Answers. - Book of Kells.

Mr. Farrelly Mr. Farrelly

252. Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 130 of 4 October 2000, the person who first raised the issue of the temporary export of a volume of the Book of Kells to the National Gallery of Australia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21518/00]

Miss de Valera Miss de Valera

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera): I assume the Deputy's question is intended to seek who first brought the issue of the temporary export of a volume of the Book of Kells to the National Gallery of Australia to the attention of my Department in April 1999.

On 27 April 1999 the Director of the National Gallery of Australia wrote to the Taoiseach advising him that a request from the National Gallery of Australia for a loan of a volume of the Book of Kells early in 2000 was being favourably considered by the owners, Trinity College Dublin. This letter was copied to my Department the following day, 28 April 1999, by the Department of the Taoiseach.

Dáil Éireann 523 Written Answers. Book of Kells.

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