Waterford County Museum recently submitted a report to the Irish Museum Association “survey of Irish Museums 2021”. Representatives of the Irish Museum Association met recently with the joint committee for Tourism, Culture, Arts and media to discuss the long term impact of Covid-19 on the museum sector and National Cultural Institutions. According to the associations website: “Among the topics raised were concerns over the lack of a joined-up national strategy for museum development and the absence of museum’s being specifically addressed in the national cultural policies, further exacerbated by their now falling within the oversight of different government departments and agencies”.
The
committee heard from the museum representatives that more than two-thirds (68%)
of museums in the republic are not directly funded by the government and are
independently run, usually on a non-for-profit basis. These museums rely not only on entry fees but
also on generated income through their commercial spaces.
Gina
O’ Kelly of the IMA, noted that “Museums have a pivotal role to play in social
and economic recovery and resilience of the nation. Support of their activities is in need of
review and re-energising”. [IMA] representatives also spoke to the active role
of museums in leading dialogue around decolonisation and commemoration.