Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2015
62. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her timeframe for introducing a 20-year rule for the release of State papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43499/15]
View answerUnder the National Archives Act 1986, Government Departments, Offices and the Courts have an obligation to transfer records older than 30 years, subject to certain exemptions, to the National Archives. The Government has now agreed to amend the legislation to reduce the period for the transfer of records to the National Archives from 30 years to 20 years. Given that the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland have already moved to a 20 year rule, I was cognisant of the importance of maintaining, as far as possible, synchronicity of release of records with the UK and Northern Ireland, especially in regard to Anglo-Irish matters. In particular, the Government agreed to:
- reduce from 30 years to 20 years the time limit for the deposit of Departmental records with the National Archives of Ireland;
- implement the change on a phased basis, starting with the Departments of An Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Justice and Equality;
- extend the reduction to other Departments as resources permit; and
- engage with Government Departments to deal with the current backlog of records over 30 years old, which have not yet been transferred to the National Archives.
These changes will be implemented following the enactment of the relevant legislation to amend the National Archives Act 1986. My Department, in consultation with the Director of the National Archives, has begun drafting Heads of a Bill, which I will bring to Government in due course.
