§ DR. LYONSasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he will consent to appoint a Committee to reconsider the question of the designs and site for the proposed new Museum in Dublin? He also wished to ask on whose advice the site of a great National Museum was restricted to one angle of a space covering more than four acres?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, my hon. Friend wishes to have a Committee appointed to re-open the questions of the site and designs of the Science and Art Museum in Dublin. The establishment of this Museum was proposed more than six years ago by Lord Sandon, and Leinster House and the neighbouring area was designated as the most appropriate site. Some time elapsed before Government could obtain control of this area; but two years since this had been done, and a choice had then to be made between the Leinster Lawn site, on the east, and the Kildare Street site, on the west of Leinster House. It was considered desirable that an opportunity should be afforded to the people of Dublin of con- 763 sidering this question. Sketch designs were prepared, showing how the two sites might be occupied, and sent to Dublin, where facilities for inspection were afforded to all those interested, it being explained that whichever site were adopted the designs would be thrown open for competition. The Visitors of the Museum were also consulted informally. The opposition to the Leinster Lawn site was, however, very strong, and the Science and Art Department reluctantly abandoned it. Steps were at once taken to obtain designs; and early in September, 1881, a public competition was invited for designs for the erection of the Museum in the position and within the area designated on the plans then published. As my hon. Friend is aware, a large number of sketch designs were sent in; and out of these, the authors of them being entirely unknown, five were selected by a committee consisting of Lord Powers-court, Dr. Moyers, the then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Sir George Hodson, Sir Robert Kane, and Mr. M'Curdy, the President of the Dublin Institute of Architects. It was afterwards discovered that no Irish competitor had obtained a place among the five. I may regret this result; but I cannot find in it, or in any other circumstance of the case, a justification for the proposal to re-open the question of the site and plan. The Leinster Lawn site was rejected in deference to local feeling more than two years since; the alternative site was then accepted, none other having been suggested, and no remonstrance has been heard in respect of it, although its exact situation was publicly known and advertised until after the result of the recent competition. I need not point out the enormous inconvenience and delay of starting this question afresh, not to speak of the liabilities we should be under to the architects who have engaged in the recent competition.
§ DR. LYONSMy hon. Friend has not answered the latter part of the Question of which I gave him private Notice.
§ MR. COURTNEYIt is involved in the answer which I have already given.