Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Perhaps it might fit. The State should not get too involved in formalising this area. The current arms-length relationship through the National Library is probably appropriate.

I fully endorse what Senator Ó Murchú said about family research. I do not want to belittle it in any way but for many older people tracing ancestors is an absorbing hobby. I have an Australian cousin who has about 4,000 sheets of paper of various sizes. I think she can, more or less, claim descent back to the Pharaohs. It keeps her busy and it has huge tourism potential. It is harmless. I believe that if one goes back more than two or three generations one's links with one's ancestors are probably extremely tenuous and vice versa. I am convinced that probably Brian Boru and Charlemagne had millions of descendants and that may include all of us. I am not sure how much we can claim reflected glory therefrom.

The Minister has made Senator Ryan a very fair offer, which I hope he will take up, as the proposals contained in the Bill would be thoroughly vetted by the National Library to see what more needs to be done.