Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 4

Written Answers. - Land Commission's Records Office.

John Connor

Question:

57 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the closure in August 1992 of the Irish Land Commission's Records Office, and the promise made then that it would be relocated and reopened in three months and that this promise has not been kept; if his attention has further been drawn to the serious cost which the non-availability of information from this office imposes on many people; and the steps, if any, he will take to have this important Government service restored to the public.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

The Records Branch of the Land Commission closed on 17 August 1992 to allow for the relocation of all records to the National Archives premises at Bishop Street following the sale of the Land Commission buildings.

As was expected it took about three months to transfer the 8-9 million documents and the office reopened to the public from the end of November last. There was a short term difficulty in relocating Land Commission maps at the new premises but this has since been resolved.