Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I was making the general point that there is normal reporting mechanisms to the Houses of the Oireachtas in respect of the operations of NAMA. The banking laws that apply in this case apply as they do in respect of any banking transactions. Obviously, I cannot give any commitment that all this will come under the National Archives Act. I do not think that was intended at the time. The accountability arrangements for the National Asset Management Agency are in place under statute and we will abide by them.

Given the increased use of information technology across Departments, it is anticipated that the volume of digital material eligible for transfer to the National Archives will increase substantially in the coming years. This is one of the biggest challenges that national archives around the world will face in future. Section 19(3) of the National Archives Act 1986 provides that the Minister for Finance may make regulations, after a consultation with the director of the National Archives, for the proper management and preservation of departmental records. This power is similar but not identical to the power of the Minister for Finance under section 15(5) of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 to make regulations, after consultation with the Information Commissioner and the director of the National Archives, providing for the management and maintenance of records held by public bodies. That is an area that could be examined profitably to deal with this changing trend.

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