'Sting' over Joyce manuscript alleged

A NUMBER of TDs yesterday accused the National Library of Ireland of being "stung" by a former employee in relation to its acquisition of a valuable collection of James Joyce writing.

The collection of handwritten Joycean manuscripts was identified by a temporary member of library staff during a visit to a Parisian book collector in February 2004, at which time it was valued at some €400,000.

Before the library became aware of the collection, which it says was in May 2004, the material was purchased from the French bookseller by a Joyce enthusiast and former temporary employee of the Department of Arts, who almost immediately returned it to the market through Sotheby's of London. The National Library stated its interest in the collection when it was notified by Sotheby's in December 2004 and eventually purchased the material, following market valuation, for €1.17 million in March of 2005.

Members of the Public Accounts Committee said they were concerned there had been "collusion" between the former department and library staff, which they said led to bad value for public spending, as the collection was available for one-third of the price just one year earlier.

"The National Library was anxious at all times in the acquisition process to ensure the State got value for money in the transaction," National Library director Aongus Ó hAonghusa said.

"The authenticity of the material was verified and its importance from a literary perspective was confirmed by external experts . . . I make no apologies for the approach taken . . . we needed to know we were not buying a pig in a poke," he said.

Committee chairman Bernard Allen (FG) said there was evidence of a "serious sting" by an agent of the department.

"This whole affairs stinks," said Labour TD Tommy Broughan, who identified the former library employee as Luca Crispi and the department employee as Laura Barnes.

"It seems like a sharp practice that has cost the taxpayer more money," he said.

Mr Ó hAonghusa rejected there had been any collusion or conflict of interest on the part of any library staff member involved in the acquisition. "The vendor has made clear that no information was received from anyone in the library in relation to the material or the library's interest."

He said collection and acquisition guidelines were being drawn up by the National Library.

"I can't understand why the price of a Ryanair flight was not spent sending someone to check out if the €400,000 price was correct," Fine Gael TD Jim O'Keeffe said.

"Our hands were already full . . . we didn't have the staff resources and when the decision was made we had other priorities," Mr Ó hAonghusa said.

"I can't understand this," said North Dublin Fianna Fáil TD Darragh O'Brien. "It sounds more like Frederick Forsyth than James Joyce."