Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The files are sent to the National Archives every year so all of the records will be there. Of the six files in question, two were withheld under section 8(4)(a) of the Act, which relates to public interest, one was held under section 8(4)(b), which relates to information obtained in confidence, and one was held under section 8(4)(c), which relates to distress or danger of defamation. In practice most of the files withheld concern personal security matters. The European Court of Human Rights restricts the release of documents for 75 years and we observe such restrictions when we have documents on file from that body. This year two files were withheld on this basis, both of which related to the case taken against the British Government for the ill treatment of internees in Northern Ireland.

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