Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 26th February, 2016.

I, HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 44 (3) of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 (No.11 of 1997), and the Arts and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Function) Order 2002 ( S.I. No.302 of 2002 ) (as adapted by the Tourism, Culture and Sport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No.220 of 2011 )) with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and with respect to which, pursuant to subsection (10) of that section, a draft has been laid before each House of the Oireachtas and a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each such House, hereby order as follows:

1. (1) This order may be cited as the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 (Section 44) (Variation of Indemnity Amount) Order 2016.

(2) This Order comes into operation on 1 March 2016.

2. (1) The amount standing specified in section 44 (1) of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 (No. 11 of 1997) is varied by substituting €1,500,000,000 for that amount.

(2) The variation effected by paragraph (1) ceases to have effect on and after 31 October 2021.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform consents to the making of the foregoing Order.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

18 February 2016.

BRENDAN HOWLIN,

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

18 February 2016.

HEATHER HUMPHREYS,

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

The order temporarily changes the threshold for indemnities in section 44 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 from €190 million to €1.5 billion for the period set out in the order.