In accordance with Section 8 (4) (a) of the National Archives Act, 1986, the Department of Foreign Affairs has withheld 16 files from public inspection in the National Archives on the grounds that their release would be contrary to the public interest. The Department's policy has been to keep to the absolute minimum the number of files withheld in this category.
Section 8 (4) (b) and (c) of the Act further provides that, subject to certification, departmental records which
(b) would or might constitute a breach of statutory duty, or a breach of good faith on the ground that they contain information supplied in confidence, or
(c) would or might cause distress or danger to living persons on the ground that they contain information about individuals, or would or might be likely to lead to an action for damages for defamation