Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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280. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in view of the fact that the Ireland-Australia transportation database is incomplete as a result of the destruction of the National Archives in 1922 and only contains transport registers from 1836 to 1857; given that in 1988 the then Taoiseach gave a microfilm copy of the database as a gift to the Australian archives as part of Australia's bicentennial celebrations and, particularly, as it is a stated objective of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to increase tourist numbers from Australia, if she will seek a reciprocal copy of the existing convict transportation records from Australia, which are held in the New South Wales archives in Australia, to be placed in the Irish National Archives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28000/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I understand from the National Archives that the presentation of the microfilm copies of the Ireland Australian Transportation records to Australia in 1988 was intended to serve the very purpose of stimulating an interest among Australians in their Irish ancestry and promoting visits by Australians to Ireland. The National Archives has further indicated that the individuals most interested in getting access to records relating to the transportation of Irish convicts are Australian-based individuals with ready access to original convict indents and ticket of leave records in Australia, supplemented by the microfilm copy Irish records presented by the Government and people of Ireland.

In addition, there is now ready online access via various websites to Australian records relating to transported convicts that can be used by Irish-Australians and others to access records relating to convicts, including Irish convicts. This should obviate the need to deposit copies of records at other locations.

Having this kind of material available online should certainly help to boost genealogy tourism. As we approach the centenary of the 1916 Rising next year, I am keen to encourage people around the world to reconnect with their Irish roots.