I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to request the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, to come to the House to outline the position on the sale of valuable paintings, including a Rubens, at Christie's of London on 9 July.

Under section 49 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997, the Minister has to give permission. Why was this power delegated to the National Gallery of Ireland, the director of which is Mr. Sean Rainbird and who is also a trustee of the Sir Alfred Beit-Russborough House collection? I commend An Taisce and Mr. Ian Lumley for taking the matter to the High Court, represented by Tim Smith of law firm, Phelim O'Neill. They were granted permission in the High Court by Mr. Justice Nicholas Kearns to challenge the granting of an export licence for the artworks. The case will come before the High Court on 3 July when the sale is proposed for 9 July. The interesting point is An Taisce also has a representative on the Beit Foundation, namely, Consuelo O’Connor. This is intriguing. I believe the Minister is negligent in her responsibilities in this regard. Under section 49, the licence granted by the governors and guardian of the National Gallery of Ireland was, therefore, granted without any statutory authority and the purported sale of delegation by the Minister is ultra vires. The issue is extremely grave. We can see the cranes outside over the National Gallery of Ireland. To think it would approve the sale of these invaluable and priceless works of art in Britain and elsewhere and to deprive this country of the wishes of Sir Alfred Beit who provided those paintings for the State under trusteeship is absolutely disgraceful. Will the Leader request the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, come to the House to explain why she, like Pontius Pilate, is washing her hands of this particular matter, even though she has the full legal responsibility under the Act?

That is not true.

Those are the facts. She has no authority to delegate these powers to anybody else. It shows a complete lack of responsibility. How could she call herself the Minister for the bloody arts?

There is no Minister for the bloody arts.

I do not think the arts are bloody, in fairness.

Could any other arts Minister in any other country stand over the sale of a Rubens?

The Senator can make these points during the debate later.

I hope we get a debate and the Cathaoirleach uses his influence to bring that woman into this House.

I have no role in that matter.

I second Senator Terry Leyden’s amendment to the Order of Business. It is simply unbelievable that we would start to sell off the assets of the State and the people.

I compliment the former president, Mary McAleese, on her robust attack on The New York Times. How dare they use a tragedy to sell their newspaper by twisting the story on J1 visas?

Following on from our debate yesterday on councillors, ten minutes ago I received a most distressing telephone call from a councillor, a woman in her 40s who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a single parent and about to lose €86 a week because of legislation brought in here regarding single parents. She told me she has been in contact with her council and the Department of Social Protection but to no avail. She is absolutely distressed beyond belief. She has no idea of how her income is going to be sorted out as she goes through her cancer treatment. She told me the answer she has been given by some is that she is not an employee. I have legal advice, as I said yesterday, and know the employment status of a councillor. We will have to examine introducing sick pay and a point of reference for those we elect to the lowest level of political life where they can go to a one-stop shop to get all the information they need regarding their entitlements. We are paying the people concerned less than the minimum wage. It is outrageous to think the woman in question, with two children, will lose €86 a week and has no idea whether she will be entitled to anything from the council after several months out sick. I have had a daughter who has had cancer and know the trauma that caused us. I cannot imagine what the woman who was on to me is feeling today. It behoves all of us in this Chamber to do everything we can before we rise next month. I do not want to make this a cheap shot, but it was distressing to receive a call like that.