Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 16 Mar 1939

Vol. 74 No. 16

In Committee on Finance. - Vote 39—Public Record Office.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Ruttledge)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim na raghaidh thar £3,395 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1940, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig na nAnnálacha Puiblí agus Coimeádaí na Stát-Pháipéar, Baile Atha Cliath (30 agus 31 Vict., c. 70; 38 agus 39 Vict., c. 59, agus 39 agus 40 Vict., c. 58), agus chun Scríbhinní Stairiúla, etc., do cheannach.

That a sum not exceeding £3,395 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1940, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Public Record Office, and of the Keeper of State Papers, Dublin (30 and 31 Vict., c. 70; 38 and 39 Vict., c. 59, and 39 and 40 Vict., c. 58), and for the purchase of Historical Documents, etc.

General MacEoin

I should like to know from the Minister the procedure that is adopted by the Department and by him in allowing access to these State papers. My information is that one type of individual can get access to these papers, examine them and make any contact with these private documents of all sorts that he wishes, while another person is refused that permission. I am aware of the case of two applicants who applied for permission to examine State papers of a long time ago in the Public Record Office. One of these gentlemen has been receiving some prominence in the Press these days; he had no difficulty whatever in getting access to the State papers that he required; he was facilitated in every way. Another gentleman who has a great national record in the service of this country and who was writing or preparing a history of national affairs, applied for the same facilities as the other gentleman got but he was denied those facilities. I would like to know what is the procedure that has to be adopted in getting access to those particular papers. Will the Minister explain why differentiation was made between these two parties? In my opinion that is a very important matter. It gets to the root of the impartial administration of the law. There is no reason in the world why one person who is making a bona fide research into certain facts should not get access to State papers just as the other individual who gets it; especially as these papers are to be used for national, educational and historical purposes. There should be no difficulty placed in the way of any citizen of this State in getting facilities of that kind. Of course I do not claim that he should have access to matters of quite recent date or matters of a secret character. He should get the facilities he requires up to within five or six years of the period which he is investigating.

Mr. Ruttledge

I cannot answer the Deputy because this is the first I have heard of this matter. I will have it investigated. I may inform the Deputy that no complaints were made to me or my Department. When a matter like that arises the proper thing to do is to send particulars of the complaint to the Department and then the matter could be inquired into. I have no knowledge whatever of the case which the Deputy has brought up; no complaint has been made to my Department.

Vote 39 put and agreed to.