Arts Minister Patrick O’Donovan has declared that no additional Government funding will be provided to accommodate an unused scanner purchased by the National Gallery eight years ago. He described the oversight in acquiring the X-ray scanner without a clear plan for its placement as a significant misstep, emphasizing that it was a significant amount of money to be spent on such a scanner.
The National Gallery acquired the X-ray system, costing €124,805, in November 2017 through the Cultural Digitisation Scheme. However, finding a suitable spot for it has proven challenging due to its need for a lead-lined room to house a radioactive element, compounded by the fact that some floors in the gallery’s building cannot support the machine’s weight.
Currently, the X-ray system sits in the basement of the Dublin gallery, while the X-ray bulb remains with the supplier.
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