Posted by Updated / Tuesday, 25 Feb 2025 15:49
Political Correspondent
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the purchase of a scanner almost eight years ago that remains unused at the National Gallery is “very difficult to explain”, while the Tánaiste said his reaction was one of absolute fury.
The National Gallery has been unable to find a suitable room for the X-ray machine after it was purchased at a cost of more than €124,000.
The revelation was contained in the National Gallery’s annual report which was brought to Cabinet today by the Minister for Arts Patrick O’Donovan.
Privately, ministers are angered that another historic spending issue has arisen at the Department of Arts, Tourism and Sport.
In November 2017, the National Gallery purchased the X-ray system valued at €124,805 as part of the Digital Investigative Imaging Project.
The equipment was described as essential to the process of examining the gallery’s paintings in a non-destructive way.
Since 2018 the National Gallery has worked with the OPW to find a suitable location for the scanner but has not found a suitable room to date.
The scanner required lead lining in the room it was located. This is wall panelling used for radiation shielding. This led to concerns about the load bearing capacity of rooms at the National Gallery.
A tender was issued in November 2018 but the only bid received was non-compliant.
Mr Martin said it is incomprehensible that the gallery purchased the scanner without working out where it was going to locate it.
“It’s completely unacceptable and people are right to be angry about it,” he said.
The Taoiseach said the spending must be fully examined by the Public Accounts Committee.
Mr Martin said: “It’s very difficult to explain that why someone would embark upon purchase of a scanner that they didn’t have a facility to locate it in.
“I think it falls on the gallery itself to explain what happened here.”
Speaking on his way into a Cabinet meeting this morning, Tánaiste Simon Harris said: “My reaction to this is the same as the reaction that every person will have right across this country – which is one of absolute fury.
“It’s really important that the Government is briefed by the minister on this matter today.
“And then it’s really important that the people who are paid to run these institutions come out and talk to the Irish people in relation to these issues.
“Government provides money to State agencies. They do very good work, but they’re also accountable for the spend of that money.
“So the first thing I want to do today is hear from the minister in relation to this, and then I’m quite sure that people will want to hear from the National Gallery itself,” he added.
Buck stops with Govt over scanner, says McDonald
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said while the Government can point the finger at the National Gallery over the scanner, the buck stops with them.
She called on the Government to give an explanation for the serial wastage of public money.
Ms McDonald said there is a Government culture that has an utter disregard for public money.
Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said it was laughable that senior Government figures were acting as commentators on this matter and responsibility rested with them.
Labour’s Duncan Smith called on the Department of Public Expenditure to take the lead to prevent the wasting of taxpayer’s money.
The Gallery is now looking at using the scanner as a “mobile unit on-site” and it could come into use later this year.
Earlier this month, the Government ordered an external review of governance and culture at The Arts Council following a finding by the Comptroller and Auditor General that €7 million was spent by the body on an unsuccessful IT system.
In a statement, the National Gallery said: “In November 2017, the Gallery purchased an X-ray system valued at €124,805, funded by the “Cultural Digitisation Scheme”. Currently, some elements of the X-ray system are stored securely onsite, while the main component, the X-ray bulb is stored with the supplier.
“X-ray facilities are used by most major galleries and museums and are considered an important tool for collection research and care. The Gallery has been working with the relevant experts and stakeholders to bring the system into operation and has identified a preferred solution. “
Government is incinerating taxpayers’ money – Tóibín
Meanwhile, Peadar Tóibín for Aontú has listed off many examples of waste by the Government apart from the latest one concerning the X-ray machine in the National Gallery, including electric buses bought without chargers, €300 million on Metro North, the Children’s Hospital, the bike shed and the security hut.
He said the National Gallery has spent seven years searching for a room to take the scanner.
“Columbus found the New World faster than the National Gallery found a room to fit this particular scanner in.”
Mr Tóibín said the Government is incinerating taxpayers’ money on a daily basis on projects going way over budget with no one being held accountable, adding that people are sick and tired of this.
Responding the Taoiseach said it is a perfectly normal thing to replace old equipment with new, but it is inexcusable that those at the National Gallery decided to procure this without figuring out how they were going to deploy it and what room where they going to put it into.
Mr Tóibín said it is unacceptable.
He added that this is why we have the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Committee of Public Accounts – to hold people to account .
Who Watches the Watchers? 