asked the Taoiseach if he has received representations to open the State archives; if he is prepared to accede to these representations; and, if so, when.
2.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Archives.
1.
asked the Taoiseach if it is proposed to alter the existing rule concerning the release of State documents.
It is proposed, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The archives are already open down to about 1920, subject to certain safeguards. The question of opening our archives further is being considered as part of a general appraisal of the archival situation.
Is the Taoiseach aware that in Britain the period appears to be 30 years and that they have opened their archives up to 1945 and that the rule in Ireland which means that no papers within the last 55 years are available puts historians at a great disadvantage in this country?
As the Deputy is aware, this matter has been the subject of discussion both in the House here for some years and recently an inter-departmental committee which reported on it, making certain recommendations. These are now being examined to see how they can be implemented. The 30-year rule in Britain applies generally but there are certain restrictions of a character which restricts sensitive papers—sensitive in the sense of either where persons are still alive or for some other reason. Subject to that the 30-year rule applies and the inter-departmental committee here has been considering the matter and have made the recommendations I have mentioned as to how they can be implemented so that more general access would be available both to historians and scholars.
Does the Taoiseach propose to accept the recommendations made by the inter-departmental committee?
The representations are at present being examined by the various Departments and a submission will be made to the Government. I think in general I could say, yes, that there are certain practical difficulties because, as the Deputy will probably appreciate, some files are, say, 50 years old or longer than 30, and some even as old as 50 years are still current. The difficulty is to segregate what is current from what is a matter of history.
I would ask the Taoiseach to keep in mind the possibility of allowing historians to examine such papers at an earlier date.
That is the intention and in fact that was one of the purposes of the work of the inter-departmental committee.