Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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407. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 346 of 29 September 2015, the reason the Data Protection Commissioner has intervened to block access to 1939 to 1945 intelligence files held at the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin 6; if this intervention was further to a complaint by a relative of a living or deceased person named in the files; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34737/15]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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408. To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 346 of 29 September 2015, the number of the G2 (military intelligence) files that concern persons from the 1939 to 1945 period who are still living; if the files of deceased persons can be made available forthwith; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34738/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together.

Public access to the files in question was temporarily closed in July 2014. This decision was taken by the Officer in Charge of Military Archives in order that a review be conducted arising from his concerns that release of files may breach the right to privacy of individuals, under the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Commissioner had no role in this decision.

The review of relevant files is on-going but until all files have been examined it will not be possible to quantify the number of files that relate to individuals who are still alive . Files that relate to deceased persons only will be released, prior to the conclusion of the review, but in this regard it should be noted that this is not possible where these files refer to other individuals who are still alive.