Cabinet has agreed to move towards releasing State papers after 20 rather than 30 years to “ensure our shared history with the UK is presented in a balanced fashion”.
Minister for Heritage Heather Humphreys brought a memo to Government on Tuesday, outlining her concerns that an “incomplete view” of historical events could develop in the coming years.
This follows a decision five years ago by the UK’s ministry of justice to allow two sets of releases a year until 2022, when files from 2001 and 2002 will be released.
“If we allow this situation to continue, the gap in the narrative will only become greater. Moving to a 20-year system is a considerable task and I am conscious that it will require extra resources in the National Archives,” Ms Humphreys said.
Redevelopment
She said the phased release of additional records would happen in tandem with the redevelopment of the National Archives’ headquarters, which would begin in early 2016.
“My department will also begin writing to all Government departments to determine how many files they are storing which are more than 30 years old,” she said.
“A number of departments are not currently meeting their obligations in relation to the transfer of files to the National Archives. A co-ordinated centralised plan will need to be developed to achieve compliance across all departments.”
She said she had asked the National Archives to undertake a pilot study with the Department of Education and Skills to ascertain the cost to departments of storing records more than 30 years old which should have been transferred to the National Archives.
“Action is needed on a number of fronts to improve the archiving of records across Government and to address the gap which is emerging between Ireland and the UK,” she said.
“This is a large body of work, which will involve all Government departments. By taking a phased approach, conscious of the resources available, I hope we will be able to improve the archiving of records, make Government more transparent and ensure our shared history with the UK is presented in a balanced fashion.”
Events likely to be covered by such a move would, on a phased basis, include the 1993 Downing Street Declaration, the Belfast Agreement of 1998 and the talks preceding that deal, which commenced in 1996.
