Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the provision of a new purpose built repository for the National Archives which is many years over due; and his views on whether a public private partnership route is the best way forward particularly in view of the announcement in August 2007 by the Northern Ireland Culture Minister, Mr. Edwin Poots, MLA, that his Department is to spend over £30 million providing a new home for the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland which is to be open by August 2010. [27863/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the measures he proposes in order to supply the National Archives with adequate staff across all grades (details supplied). [27864/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the reason the National Archives does not open its reading room outside of the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. [27865/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 to 113, inclusive, together.

The current position in relation to this project is that my Department is consulting with the Office of Public Works and the Department of Finance with a view to having an economic assessment study carried out in relation to the provision of new storage and other accommodation for the National Archives.

I am advised that the current staff complement of the National Archives is 47. The administrative team has been strengthened recently with the assignment of two additional posts. As a result the National Archives now has a new Head of Administration post at Assistant Principal level and a new Assistant to the Director post at Executive Officer level. I understand that some vacancies in professional grades are currently in the process of being filled. My officials have recently met with the Senior Management of the National Archives and have asked for additional information on the staffing structures in the organisation to allow them to explore options in relation to staff resources in the context of Government policy on staffing numbers in the public sector.

The Reading Room of the National Archives in Bishop Street is open from 10.00 until 17.00 Monday to Friday and receives an average of 64 visits by members of the public each day. The Management of the National Archives is keen to extend its opening hours but space and staffing levels temper the feasibility of doing this. When additional space becomes available on the Ground Floor of the Bishop Street building management in the National Archives will review the feasibility of a limited extension of opening hours.