Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has been widely accepted for a number of years that the National Archives headquarters at Bishop Street require to be developed to enhance the standard and the quantity of facilities for storage of State archives and future provision. Each year for some years past, special measures had to be taken to accommodate the annual statutory transfer of State records. The building has insufficient linear shelving space in which to store records in an accessible manner and, consequently, is not being used to maximum economic advantage or optimum efficiency. Cognisant of the agreed need for additional space at the National Archives, my Department had requested that the OPW prepare a development plan for the Bishop Street premises. A plan was prepared accordingly for the phased delivery of the necessary works in the National Archives headquarters warehouse. The plan concluded that the construction of a two-storey facility within the existing building will provide an efficient and economically viable solution to the storage needs of the National Archives. A formal cost-benefit analysis in respect of the proposed development was completed in October 2013. It determined that, as the project more than met the Government’s rate of return, which is 5%, the result of the analysis is positive.

My Department is continuing to make progress on this project with the OPW and other stakeholders in the context of the decade of commemorations.

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