National Gallery of Ireland Act, 1855

NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND ACT 1855

CAP. XLIV.

An Act to amend an Act of last Session, to provide for the Establishment of a National Gallery of Paintings, Sculpture, and the Fine Arts, for the Care of a Public Library, and the Erection of a Public Museum, in Dublin. [2d July 1855.]

17 & 18 Vict. c. 99.

Whereas an Act was passed in the last Session of Parliament, to provide, amongst other things, for the Establishment of a National Gallery of Paintings. Sculpture, and the Fine Arts in Ireland, and it is expedient to amend the said Act as herein-after mentioned:’ Be it therefore enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:

Donors of 10l.to vote at Election of Governors.

I. So much of the Twelfth Section of the said recited Act as enables Persons who shall have made a Donation to the Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland, for the Purposes of their Trust, of not less than Two Guineas in Money, to vote at the Election and Nomination of Persons to fill Vacancies in such Governors and Guardians, shall be and the same is hereby repealed; and the Privilege of voting at such Election and Nomination shall extend and apply only to every Donor of Money to the said Governors and Guardians of a Sum not less than Ten Pounds in Money; Provided always, that the Provisions of the said Act for the Election and Nomination of Governors and Guardians of the said Gallery shall not hereby be affected (except as herein-after mentioned), further or otherwise than by substituting Donors of not less than Ten Pounds in Money for Donors of not less than Two Guineas in Money, as aforesaid.

Donors of 10l. to any Fund transferred to Governors of National Gallery to vote at Election of Governors.

II. Every Person who shall have been a Subscriber of a Sum not less than Ten Pounds in Money to any Fund raised by public Subscription, and appropriated for the Purposes of the said National Gallery by the Subscribers to such Fund or the Trustees thereof (by and with the Consent of the Governors and Guardians of the said Gallery, or of the Building Trustees created by the said Act of last Session for the Purposes of their Trust respectively), shall be deemed a Donor of the like Sum to the Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland, and shall be entitled to vote and take part at such Elections of Governors and Guardians to the said Gallery, as in the said Act and herein-before mentioned.

Joint Donors entitled to vote at Elections of Governors. &c.

III. In every Case where a Subscription exceeding Ten Pounds in Money to the said Governors and Guardians, or to any Fund appropriated as aforesaid, shall have been or shall hereafter be made jointly by Two or more Donors, each of such joint Donors shall be entitled to vote at such Elections of Governors and Guardians, as herein-before mentioned, in case the Amount of such joint Subscription when divided by the Number of such joint Donors shall give a net Subscription of Ten Pounds or upwards for each of such Donors, but not otherwise.

Five to be a Quorum of the Board of Governors, &c.

IV. At all Meetings of the Body Corporate of the Governors and Guardians of the said National Gallery Five shall be a Quorum for the Transaction of Business; Provided nevertheless, that no Painting, Statue, or other Work of Art shall be purchased for the said Gallery, or out of the Funds of the said Body Corporate, unless such Purchase shall be authorized by a Resolution of the said Governors and Guardians passed at a Meeting at which at least Nine Members of the said Body Corporate shall be present.

Power to Public Bodies to deposit Works of Art in the National Gallery of Ireland.

V. It shall be lawful for the Governors, Directors, or Trustees of every public Institution, and for the Governing Body of every Corporation, having or which shall have or be possessed, in trust or otherwise, of any Statue, Painting, or other Work of Art, and they and every of them are hereby empowered, by and with the Consent of the said Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland, from Time to Time to deposit the same in the Custody and Charge of the last-mentioned Governors and Guardians, for Exhibition, for and during such Time and Times, and subject to such Conditions for securing the proper Care and Preservation of such Works of Art, as may be agreed upon; and it shall be lawful for the said Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland, out of the Funds of the said Body Corporate, from Time to Time to expend such Sums of Money as they may think proper in defraying the Expense of the Transmission to and from their Gallery and of the Insurance of any Works of Art as may from Time to Time be lent to or deposited with the said Governors and Guardians by any public Bodies, Trustees, or private Individuals.

17 & 18 Vict. c. 99. s. 11. repealed as far as regards Number of outgoing Governors.

VI. The Eleventh Section of the said Act of last Session shall be and the same is hereby repealed; and each of the Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland, save and except the First Five of them mentioned in the Seventh Section of the said Act, shall continue to hold Office, subject to the Provisions of the said Act, for the Term of Five Years at a Time from the Time of his becoming such Governor and Guardian, and not longer, but at the Expiration of such Five Years he shall be eligible to be re-appointed or re-elected as such Governor and Guardian.

This Act and 17 & 18 Vict. c. 99. as One.

Short Title.

VII. This Act shall be construed with the said Act of last Session as One Act; and in all Acts, Deeds, Documents, Proceedings, Suits, and Prosecutions this Act and the said Act of last Session may be cited and described by the Name of “The National Gallery of Ireland Acts, 1854-55.”