Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the estimated cost and the duration of the remedial works to improve the storage facilities for the National Archives; the estimated cost of an investment in the storage facility in order to fully incorporate it into the archives facilities; if there is a risk of putting national records and archives in jeopardy due to insufficient or substandard storage facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27243/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The detailed information sought by the Deputy is a matter for the Commissioners of Public Works to supply when they have finalised costed proposals and estimates to remedy the National Archives storage provision. In relation to the National Archives from the policy perspective, I would refer the Deputy to my answer to Questions 42 and 43 of 19th May last.

The principal National Archives storage accommodation is located at its Headquarters offices at Bishop Street and at the Four Courts. It is acknowledged that the National Archives suffers from a long-standing storage challenge on a constrained site. While efforts have been made to accommodate the State records within its Bishop Street premises, the storage accommodation currently available there does not meet accepted archival standards. Despite this situation, the Director and his staff have made herculean efforts with the cooperation of the OPW to ensure that archives are protected from damage or deterioration.

As I indicated on 19th May my Department has asked OPW to investigate the avenues now open for the provision of additional storage facilities to the National Archives either within the current footprint of the warehouse or in the context of the provision of a new archival building. These considerations have become more complex following proposals to merge the National Archives of Ireland, National Library of Ireland and the Irish Manuscripts Commission, and a determination as to whether or not all these institutions, once merged, should be housed together or separately.

The cost and the duration of the remedial works to improve the storage facilities for the National Archives, and the estimated cost of an investment in the storage facility so as to fully incorporate it into the archives facilities can not be determined until it is established whether these facilities will be provided in situ in the Bishop Street premises, off-site in a separate storage facility or elsewhere as part of a newly merged body. The provision of such facilities may only be explored within the context of the current budgetary situation and the overall capital priorities of Government.