GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING THE theft of a number of State-owned paintings have arrested a man in Shannon.
The artwork and other items, which are the property of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, were stolen from a storage facility last year.
The suspect is in his early 40s and is currently being questioned at the local garda station. Searches are underway in the Limerick area today.
Minister Jimmy Deenihan has ordered all other items in storage to be transferred from the private facility to alternative properties used by the National Monuments Service and the National Museum of Ireland. He has also asked for an inventory and physical check of all artwork, furniture and other items.
The Department became aware of the theft when some of the collection was spotted for sale in an auction during 2012. Details of the stolen property has not been released in order to protect the investigation.
It is understood that assistance is being provided to gardaí by well-known art auction houses.
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