Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator has rightly pointed out that an addition is being made to the Bill. I decided to make this change, after giving careful consideration to the move to a 20-year rule, because I am of the opinion that notwithstanding the significant resourcing issues involved, it is important to provide for the early release of records of significant historical or public interest value. We are trying to provide for some flexibility in how material of significant value is made available. In particular, we want to focus on material of North-South interest after 20 years. The UK and Northern Ireland are releasing their material after 20 years. We do not want to be left on the back foot. We need to release similar material from our records so that the full picture is reflected. That is why a new provision is to be included in the Bill. We do not have the resources to change immediately from 30 years to 20 years. This is a massive undertaking. We want to deal specifically with the Departments and offices where most of these records are held, namely, the Departments of Justice and Equality, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Taoiseach, and the Office of the Attorney General. We are doing this to make sure we are not left behind in matching the material that is released in the UK after 20 years.

We have given a commitment to invest €8 million to improve the storage facilities in the National Archives. I understand the plan should be ready to go to tender towards the end of the year. It is a big undertaking and it is important that we get it right. It is a question of how a big warehouse at the back of the National Archives can be married into the existing building. We need to maximise the space available at the archives.

Under the Creative Ireland plan, we have asked all the cultural institutions to come forward with their capital plans for the coming years. We want them to reflect on what they need to do and to propose five-year plans for how we can support them as we go forward. The wonderful renovation programme in the National Gallery is almost complete and will open to the public soon. It has taken a number of years for this fabulous development to reach an end. We are working with the cultural institutions by looking at their plans and ambitions in the context of the capital plan.