Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As I have stated on the floor of the House previously, I am a very keen genealogist. I fully commend Senator Ó Murchú and I support the Bill before the House. I was a little taken aback by some of the things Senator Eamonn Coghlan said. The programme for Government includes a commitment to enable the publication of the 1926 census. As there was no 100-year rule at the time of the 1926 census, the people filling out the census did not have an expectation that its contents would not be released for 100 years. I would feel differently if there had been such a rule at the time, but the rule in question was introduced in 1993. Like Senators Ó Murchú and MacSharry, it is clear to me after reading the transcripts of the debate that took place in 1993 that agreement was reached in this House, on foot of an argument made by the then Senator Maurice Manning, that the then Minister, Noel Dempsey, would reduce the relevant time period to 70 years, rather than the 50-year period being proposed by Senator Manning, when the legislation was considered in the Dáil. An idea like the 100-year rule that was introduced in 1993 is quite new as far as genealogy is concerned.

Anybody who is a genealogist will have an understanding of the examination of records. As Senators will appreciate from my name, I have looked at many Dutch records. There is an outstanding system of records in the Netherlands. I can access digitised records of births, deaths and christenings from that country. The records in the United States are amazing. Excellent records are also available in the United Kingdom, right down to parish register level. Ireland has many holes in its records. Genealogy brings tourism to this country. Ireland experienced many upheavals between 1911 and 1926, which is the time period we are discussing, including the Easter Rising, the First World War, in which 50,000 Irishmen lost their lives, the War of Independence, the Civil War, partition, the 1918 general election, the establishment of the First Dáil, the Treaty of 1921, the establishment of the Irish Free State, economic depression and emigration. I am sure Senators can imagine the richness of the data that will be available when we are able to compare the 1911 census to the 1926 census. These primary sources will be of use for genealogists, historians and sociologists, etc. Many people will benefit from the richness of this data.

In Canada, the rule is that records are closed for 92 years after they were first compiled. The results of the 1921 federal census of Canada are being released this year. The UK introduced a 100-year rule in 1961, but the UK information commissioner found in 2006 that records could be released before 100 years had elapsed. The UK authorities have started considering which records can be released. As there is a 72-year rule in the US, I can deal with the 1940 census records for my ancestors in that country. I am familiar with the richness of those statistics. I know how much my ancestors earned per month. Even though it was compiled just after the Great Depression, the data one can get from the 1940 US census is amazingly rich. I could bore the House with the details, but I promise not to do so.

It was confirmed earlier this year, following a thorough investigation, that the 1926 census records for Northern Ireland have unfortunately been destroyed. It is really important that we have a searchable online database that will encourage people to make the link back. As Senator Ó Murchú has said, many people wait until later in life to get involved in looking at their ancestry. We need to get details about the next generation after 1911 because that is too far back for many people who are doing genealogy. This area offers great potential for roots tourism.

There have been more than 400 million hits on the section of the website of the National Archives of Ireland that deals with census information. Those involved with any website with such a hit rate would be considering how to market their product and make it better. The authorities in the UK and the US have changed their model of funding the release of census information. I understand what Senator Eamonn Coghlan said about the costs associated with releasing the 1901 and 1911 census information, but that has changed. The private companies that are used in the UK and the US charge fees, before the information is made available to the public free of charge after a number of years. A small fee has to be paid to access the census for the first few years in the UK and the US. One of the websites used in the US is ancestry.com. Another website, familysearch.org, which is based in Utah, uses a really interesting community-sourcing model, whereby people like me download a census document and transcribe it. I sat in my kitchen in Dublin transcribing the 1940 US census to help to make it available to the public as widely as possible. There are different models that can be used. Companies like eneclann.ie, ancestry.com and findmypast.ie would love to work with the National Archives as a partner in this project. I do not necessarily think the cost argument is really true at the moment. Genealogy is an expensive hobby to be involved in. Those of us who are interested in it are used to having to pay for information.

I would like to put this in perspective. The oldest man in Ireland was born in 1906. At present, the average life expectancy in Ireland is 80 years, which is the age that will be reached this year by somebody born in 1933. This is what we are talking about. We are trying to go back one generation. I support this Bill even though it will retain the 100-year rule because it will make the 1926 census an exception on the basis of its special heritage status. As I have said, there was no 100-year rule when people were filling out the 1926 census, which was compiled at the end of an eventful period in Irish history. Having looked at the categories covered in that census, I cannot see the potential for any embarrassing material to emerge. I am aware that the column relating to illnesses was withheld by the UK authorities when they agreed to the early release of the 1911 census. Individual categories can be redacted if it is felt that people will have a difficulty with the information provided in them. I support this legislation fully. I could say a great deal more about it. If necessary, I can provide much more information to the Government on how this can be done in a cost-effective manner that would bring revenue to the State.