From top: Artist’s impression of the Mary Robinson Presidiential Library in Ballina, Co Mayo; Mary Robinson
Staying in tonight?
Grab a tay.
Laura Fitzgerald at RTÉ writes:
Tonight RTÉ Prime Time will feature a special report delving into the funding of the new Mary Robinson Centre project. It’s estimated it will cost almost €8.5 million to develop a Presidential library in the former President’s home town of Ballina.
A number of concerns have been expressed about the cost of the centre, it’s location and the fact that papers of a former President will not be housed in many of the existing archive departments in universities.
Traditionally the papers of former Presidents have been donated to University College Dublin or Trinity College Dublin. Controversially, Mrs. Robinson has applied for tax relief for making the donation.
Mayo County Council has also been officialy designated as an institution to which donors can now contribute items of Heritage value, which would entitle them to tax relief. NUI Galway is the academic partner for the Centre, the Department of Arts & Heritage has given a grant of €2 million and Mayo County Council has committed €1.5 million.
The establishment of a separate Presidential Library in Ireland is unprecedented.
The Chairman of the Oireachtas Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Committee Peader Tóibin speaks on tonight’s RTÉ Prime Time, he tells the programme;
“At our next meeting I will be putting it to the committee that this is a serious concern and I will be asking the committee for their backing to send a letter to those three groups so they will come before us and shed light on the process they are involved in. We just want to make sure that the money is spent properly.
We simply want to make sure that the State is not on the hook for money into the future and we don’t have a crisis like we had in the Picture Palace in Galway and the only way to do that is to create transparency and that is the objective of the committee.”
Mr. Tóibin has also raised concerns about the role local politics has played in the state funding of the project.
He said:
“I think when a Taoiseach is involved in a particular project in his own county. When a Taoiseach gives his backing to a project before a decision is made within the Department, then there are major concerns then you would ask the question – is it being proceeded with for the greater good or is it being proceeded with maybe for local parish pump politics reason”
FIGHT!
RTÉ Prime Time tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One.
Pics via Mary Robinson Centre
“Artist’s impression”. More like cartoonist’s impression.
It looks like a house Morten Harket might have bought after he escaped from those bike thugs,
Her ego wouldn’t fit in a place twice the size. Amazing for someone who didn’t serve out even one term as president. She comes across as one of the most entitled people in the country. Trying to monetize her records via tax relief is really the nadir. Come and dance with me in Ireland my ass.
And as for that palaver with’The Elders’? Hoo doggie. Money-grubbing aul’ bint.
“Money-grubbing aul’ bint.”
And people wonder why there aren’t more women in politics
How do they value her presidential papers in order for her to claim relief?
I wouldn’t knock the building of a library, though. I think they’re vital.
There was a slightly grotesque process where her agents went to Mealy’s Auctioneers to assess its value on the open market.
If it’s along the lines of what a ‘Presidential Library’ is in the States, it’s not a Library-Library.
More like a Museum of Mary Robinson.
To be fair now they have obviously tried to save money by not employing any architects, designers or visual artists on the scheme
Think the money could be better spent on something other than a vanity project.
Mayo has given us so much <3
‘Cassette tapes’ and ‘garment hangers’ are included in the supposedly-worth-millions presidential attic hoard. It’s an embarrassment.
Never mind quitting your role as the elected President of Ireland to go to more internationally high profile job. I still can’t believe she actually got away with that.
Why are they not automatically considered property of the state ?
Because they’re not women’s wombs!!
thanks
Lol
Zzzzzing! Chapeau!
…Sadly, I have to admit to once being a labour party supporter and occasional helper starting from the campaign to have her elected President. The thing that struck me over the years was that the elected members felt that the TD and Ministerial wages were much lower than they could earn if they were not holding political office and that they were making a huge sarcrafice to serve. The gave rise to a sense of entitlement that seems more prevalent in labour than other parties. Mary Robinson is just another example.
well I reckon that Mary could have earned more than the presidential salary with her qualifications and drive.
However most of our TDs, ahem, wouldn’t have the same earning potential if they weren’t TDs.
The Phoenix Magazine has been doing some good work on this tax sham. It really is a bloody joke.
Sur she didn’t complete her term
So why’s she considered presidential anyway
The proposed Library is to be sited at Victoria House in Ballina which overlooks
the Moy River, what are the contractural arrangements entered into with the
Burkes to either to lease or purchase the property to turn it into a library, is her
brother’s Adrian P Burke’s Solicitor”s office vacating the building, what are the arrangements associated this, the expenditure of 8.5 million on this project where
there are existing building structures, must be questioned, in effect where is the
money going.
Mary Robinson turned out to be a real disappointment. Where was her candle in the window for emigrants when so many Irish had to emigrate following the property collapse?
Robbo probably sacked the staff member responsible for candle placement – old habits die hard.