The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands said she would do her utmost to resolve the dispute in the Collins Barracks national museum quickly and fairly. Ms de Valera said the dispute's origins could be traced to lost promotional outlets due to voluntary early retirement schemes in the late 1980s. The small staffing pool in the national museum served only to accentuate the lack of promotion opportunities.

"It is my earnest wish that a practical resolution to the dispute is reached in order that the national museum is in a position to tackle the many challenges that lie ahead at this key time in its development," said Ms de Valera.

"Like every Minister, however, I am required to consider all claims for promotions and additional staff within my Department in the context of the wider public sector pay and staff numbers policy, and this dispute can only be resolved within that framework."

The Fine Gael spokesman on arts, heritage, Gaeltacht and the islands, Mr Enda Kenny, said that the answer lay in the decisions taken at Cabinet. He asked if the Minister had secured the agreement from the Minister for Finance to provide the necessary monies to deal with the problem.

Ms de Valera said that the dispute had caused great sadness, particularly on the day of the official opening which should have been a day of great celebration. She had spoken to the staff and the chairperson of the board.

The board had been talking to the unions, and she hoped that approach would resolve the situation.