Funding of almost half a million euro has been announced for the National Gallery to help complete the refurbishment of the Milltown and Dargan wings prior to their re-opening early next year.
The announcement by the Department of Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs comes as major refurbishment and renovation works at the Gallery, costing more than €30 million, enter their final stage.
In a statement Minister Heather Humphries said the grant announced today would help to ensure that the Miltown and Dargan wings are brought up to international standards once works have completed and will will fund commissioning and re-hanging works.
She said that the project "is the biggest and most ambitious refurbishment work to take place at the Gallery since it opened in 1864" and added that the refurbishment work at the National Gallery will be completed in September while that the refurbished wings will be re-opened to the public in the first quarter of 2017.
The Minister also said that further investment in cultural institutions will shortly get underway including a €10 million upgrade at the National Library and an €8 million investment at the National Archives.
