With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take questions Nos. 21 to 24 together.
There appears to be a misapprehension as to the legal position in regard to the matter to which these questions refer.
The relevant Act, the Documents and Pictures (Regulations of Export) Act, 1945, provides that the Minister shall, on application, grant a licence for the export of an article to which the Act applies, and reserves to the Minister the right only to facilities for making photographic copies of an article.
The question of having a valuation made of an article in respect of which a licence is requested does not arise under the Act, nor is there any enabling authority under the Act to prevent the export of such an article once facilities for photographing it have, if requested, been granted. It is, having regard to the purpose of the Act, the practice to confine requests for photographing to articles which are of national, historical, genealogical or literary interest.
An export licence was issued in December, 1956, in respect of paintings which from their description would appear to be what are now known as the Guardí paintings. This licence was issued to an art dealer. Normal practice and procedure preclude me from giving the name of the dealer concerned.
I am aware of no factor in connection with the application for the export licence in question which would call for a public inquiry or the appointment of a Select Committee of the Dáil and Seanad to inquire into the matter.