Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on progress towards constructing a new home for the National Archives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10926/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A capital provision of €20m is included in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for the redevelopment of the National Archives headquarters. The Office of Public Works has carried out significant preliminary work on the accommodation brief and the likely cost of providing the National Archives with new storage and other accommodation.

My over-riding priority for the National Archives is the provision of new premises that are sufficiently large and meet internationally recognised standards. Its existing storage buildings at Bishop Street and the Four Courts must be replaced because the facilities there are either not large enough, have access difficulties or do not meet the international standards for archival storage. The new premises must accommodate the archives stored in those buildings and must enable the National Archives to accept transfers of Departmental records in accordance with the National Archives Act. The latter records include both the annual increments of 30-year old records due for transfer between now and the year 2030, and the larger quantities of older records overdue for transfer from some Departments and Offices.

The new premises must also accommodate the public and technical services of the National Archives, and its staff. Its public areas must include both improved provision for reader services and provision for public services that cannot be accommodated in the existing buildings, such as a lecture room, and specialised areas for exhibitions and education services. An "Outline Brief and Schedule of Requirements" for "A New Building for the National Archives" was commissioned by the OPW in 2003, and was prepared by Building Design Partnership in consultation with the National Archives. In the brief, the site area required was estimated to be 4,775 square meters, and the total floor area required was estimated to be just over 20,500 square meters.

My Department in conjunction with the OPW have been examining a number of options in relation to providing a new building for the Archives. I am advised that these have now resolved down to two options; the provision of a new bespoke building on the footprint of the Bishop Street site or a completely new building or adaptation of an existing building elsewhere. The logistics of developing on the Bishop Street site would be quite complex if, as seems likely, part of the current storage and office accommodation will have to be vacated for the duration of the development process at a temporary location. It is too early at the moment to say which of the options will be recommended by OPW and my Department as I understand that OPW are currently examining various issues in relation to cost.

For me the preferred option will be that which gives the Exchequer best value for money and delivers modern accommodation for the National Archives quickly. I would hope to have news of more progress on the matter later on in the year. The provision of €20 million in the National Development Plan for this project was based on its assumed viability as a PPP in its current location on the Bishop Street site.