andMr. J. Walsh asked the Taoiseach if he will make funds available to the Maritime Institute of Ireland in the form of grant-aid to assist in preserving the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin.

State funding is already being made available for this purpose. The total public expenditure on the project to date amounts to £142,000. Due in large measure to the assistance provided by AnCO and the Youth Employment Agency, I understand that the museum is now in good structural order. The work done involved the renovation of the basement area to provide storerooms and workrooms, the re-slating of the roof, the reconstruction of the balcony area to give additional floor space for exhibitions and the refurbishment of the museum's ancillary rooms.

Is the Minister aware that the only source of finance available is members' subscriptions? In view of the fact that the museum is the only repository of our seafaring and maritime traditions, would he consider making an annual grant-in-aid available for the upkeep of the museum?

Local museums are normally funded by local authorities who are very good, or by private sponsorship. There is an extraordinary number of worthy causes in this respect; indeed I have had a number of telephone calls already this morning from constituents following the finding of the artefacts from Armada shipwrecks at Streedagh, making a similar appeal to the Deputy's. Unfortunately, there are inadequate funds to handle all the matters for which we are already responsible and at the moment there are no funds available. I have the greatest sympathy, particularly for a maritime museum and, indeed, the local museums which are springing up all over the country. There has been a greatly increased interest in such museums. The National Museum are giving the maximum co-operation and I am hoping to establish travelling exhibitions. This is something which I have already set in train and I hope to have in full flourish next year.

The Minister is taking a long time to say no.

The local museums are funded by local authorities, who are very good in this respect, and also by private sponsorship.

I would point out that this is not a local museum. It is the National Maritime Museum. Has the Minister anything more to offer them than sympathy?

At the moment, all I have to offer is sympathy. In so far as funds may become available from any new sources or from the Exchequer, this museum deserves priority. It is doing a unique job here. In addition to funds, we have been very helpful to it as far as the National Museum is concerned and one of the main artefacts in the Maritime Museum is the Bantry Bay boat from the Deputy's own territory.