Vol. 411 No. 1
1 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when he expects all genealogical records, such as parish records, tithe books and gravestones, to be fully and finally computerised so that they will be accessible to visitors to Ireland and to local people who wish to trace their genealogy.
There are some 35 genealogical centres now spread throughout the 32 counties where computerising of records from parish and other universal sources is being undertaken by trainees from FÁS and ACE — Action for Community Employment, a programme run by the Northern Ireland Training Authority. The number of records held on computer in these centres up to June 1991 totalled 4 million. There are also 4 million items held in manual records some of which are also on computer records. The estimate for completion of the work of computerising parish and other records is three to four years. I am glad to report this progress in the provision of a nationwide genealogical service.
Deputies will, no doubt, be aware that a homecoming festival is being arranged jointly by Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for September 1992. The objective of the festival is to attract an additional 10,000 visitors to Ireland, both North and South. A programme of special events of a cultural and genealogical nature will form the core of the festival and the genealogical centres will be actively involved in these events.
I would like to pay a tribute to the International Fund for Ireland for the contribution of £435,000 towards the costs of the festival.
Is the Taoiseach aware that in one case in County Meath of which I am aware the cutbacks in the allocation of funds by FÁS to those involved in compiling and computerising those records mean that they now anticipate the job will not be finished for ten years? Would the Taoiseach agree that these records are not really useful until they are complete and cannot be fully promoted until that is the case? Would he intervene to make sure that his target of three to four years is achieved by making the money available at the right time and on the right scale?
I think that matter will be taken care of.
Could the Taoiseach say if any parallel commercial activity is being envisaged in these various areas where profits might be made by various institutions from producing costs of arms and things of that nature, rather than hiving it off to individual private organisations? It could be done much more effectively and the money poured back into what is an excellent scheme.
No, I am not aware of any such particular activity but I would imagine it would be the sort of thing the private sector would now undertake.
What I was trying to say was that not all of this would go to the private sector. I know the private sector is involved in this and is producing the required goods, but there is an excellent chance for the genealogical offices and the various branches throughout the country to get involved in that activity themselves, which is an automatic way of producing substantial profits with the various coats of arms signed by the Chief Knight in a very attractive fashion. We could in that way elaborate on the excellent service that now exists.
I see what the Deputy is suggesting and it is something that could be considered. Perhaps a headline has been given by the National Museum who are engaged in a very fine programme of that kind which could be recommended to other centres.
