That Roscommon County Council recognises the strategic need to develop a Designated County Museum and resolves to identify and secure a town-centre site in Strokestown, in line with Town Centre First policy.

The Council will engage with the National Museum of Ireland and relevant stakeholders to progress designation, and advance a feasibility study for a museum located near Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum, which already attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the world, as a priority capital project delivering cultural, tourism and economic benefits for the County.

Notice of Motion from Cllr. Crosby

That Roscommon County Council recognises the strategic need to develop a Designated County Museum and resolves to identify and secure a town-centre site in Strokestown, in line with Town Centre First policy. The Council will engage with the National Museum of Ireland and relevant stakeholders to progress designation, and advance a feasibility study for a museum located near Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum, which already attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the world, as a priority capital project delivering cultural, tourism and economic benefits for the County.

The Meetings Administrator read the following reply:

The Heritage Council, in its publication “Museum Standards Programme for Ireland – Standards and Guidelines” defines museums as follow:

Museums are not for profit institutions that collect, safeguard, hold in trust, research, develop and interpret collections of original objects and original objects on loan, for the public benefit. They function publicly as places where people learn from and find inspiration and enjoyment through the display and research of original objects.

The Standards and Guidelines outline the requirements for Museums under 7 headings including:

1. Constitution and policies

2. Museum management

3. Caring for the collection

4. Documenting the collection

5. Exhibition (long term and temporary)

6. Education

7. Visitor care and access

Under Section 68 (2) of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 the Director of the National Museum of Ireland may, with Ministerial consent, designate local museums as appropriate places for the curatorial care of State-owned archaeological objects that are predominately of local rather than national interest. Again, there are very strict standards required to be considered for designation.

Currently, there are over 240 museums in Ireland – including 12 in Roscommon. Of these 240 museums, 56 have applied for, or have obtained, accreditation under the Museum Standards Programme.

The provision of a County Museum would be a very significant undertaking in terms of capital investment in the first instance and once delivered, in terms of operational logistics. As well as the maintenance and operation of a specialised climate-controlled building with facilities for collections, research, storage, managing visitors, etc., there would be a requirement for permanent qualified staff to carry out the functions of the museum to the required standard to maintain accreditation and designation.

There are 12 museums designated under the National Cultural Institutions Act in Ireland, of which 7 are County Museums. The operations of each of the 7 County Museums are subsidised by their Council at an average rate of €474,000 per year and within a range of €300k to 600k per annum based on the 2026 Revenue Budgets.

There does not appear to be a source of funding for either the capital cost or the operation cost of a County Museum. However, it is recognised that Roscommon does have a rich cultural and built heritage and that there are many collections that would be of local interest if accredited and designated facilities were available. In that regard,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54