Dáil debates

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Report Stage

 

11:20 am

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The point I was trying to make is that this Bill defines the GRO records as personal records. What seemed exciting about what the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy Burton, had to say was that once the records are outside of the time limits - 100 years for a birth, 75 years for marriage and 50 years for a death - they become public records. There is one piece of legislation stating that they are public records within a defined space, which is important from the point of view of those conducting research. The Freedom of Information Bill 2013 states these are personal records. The question concerning the compatibility of the two was the point I was making. The main point at issue here is that citizens can access the records.

The second point is that the terms of reference have not been finalised for the inquiry which will be the subject of debate here tomorrow. Records will form a big aspect of that.

The National Archives has 70,000 boxes of files that have not been catalogued. That in its own way produces an access issue. There are even records that people do not know exist that have the potential to complete the jigsaw. Has the Minister had any input in the terms of reference on some of the records that may well impact on this legislation?

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