Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the first matter, as I have said I only have information for my Department. Some 805 files were transferred and five were withheld. I have given the details as to why they were withheld. I have indicated in a previous reply that a short to medium-term solution was being provided by the OPW to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism by way of way of Irish Land Commission records being located out of Bishop Street, which will obviously free up space that was not previously available there for the National Archives people. That is a practical solution without the need for a brand new capital programme to relocate all the records. I have already addressed the physical accommodation issue, that has been acknowledged as being unsatisfactory and about which some short-term proposals have been made by the OPW to alleviate the situation, given that the original proposals are now unaffordable.

In terms of electronic records, I do not have the information the Deputy seeks. However, knowing Deputy Martin Mansergh, I am confident that what he said in the Seanad is correct. If the Deputy wants to table a question to me on that, beyond what the policy issues are, I shall be happy to address it.

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