Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My thanks to the Senator for his kind remarks at the outset. I acknowledge and appreciate that this is a matter close to his heart. I acknowledge the bona fides with which he brings such a proposal. As he outlined, it has particular scope and benefit by reference to local historians, genealogy, researchers, diaspora tourism and so on.

As he will appreciate from the relevant Minister's notes, it is a work in progress. As he said, there are positive indications that there is forward planning, including in the digitisation of records. In itself this would be a considerable advancement. Steps are being taken, in the longer term rather than the shorter term, to advance this, as the Senator indicated.