Nuala Fennell
Ceist:13 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Finance if archival material relating to the First Commission on the Status of Women has been preserved; if so, the location where it is held; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Status of Women Commission Records.
The papers of the Department of Finance and of the former Department of the Public Service — which, since 1987, has been amalgamated with it — relating to the Commission on the Status of Women have been preserved and are retained in the Department's registry pending their transfer at an appropriate time to the national archives.
The working papers of, and submissions to, the 1970 Commission on the Status of Women never formed part of the records of my Department. They were, however, housed for a time on the premises of the Department of the Public Service and my understanding is that they were disposed of more than ten years ago. This information was, I believe, brought to the Deputy's attention some years ago when she was Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach.
The Minister is confirming that all the papers relating to the first Commission on the Status of Women have in effect been destroyed. Is that what he is confirming?
The original ones?
Those of the first Commission on the Status of Women.
They were, ten years ago. The Deputy should be aware of that from her time as Minister of State.
I am sure the Minister will share my concern that such an important part of social history in the form of submissions at that time should have been destroyed. Will the Minister ensure that a similar fate will not befall the papers containing the submissions and deliberations of the present commission?
That situation cannot recur now because the present Taoiseach since coming into office brought into force the National Archives Act which provides for the care and preservation of official records, and machinery to ensure full compliance with that Act has been put in place in my Department. I cannot make any excuses for the destruction of the earlier papers. It is regrettable, but that is what happened.