Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she proposes to introduce a 20-year rule for the release of State papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39501/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the National Archives Act 1986, Government Departments, Offices and the Courts have an obligation to transfer records older than 30 years, subject to certain exemptions, to the National Archives. The Government has now agreed to amend the legislation to reduce the period for the transfer of records to the National Archives from 30 years to 20 years. Given that the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland have already moved to a 20 year rule I was cognisant of the importance of maintaining as far as possible synchronicity of release of records with the UK and Northern Ireland, in particular on Anglo-Irish matters.

In particular, the Government agreed to:

1. reduce from 30 years to 20 years the time limit for the deposit of Departmental records with the National Archives of Ireland; and

2. to implement the change on a phased basis, starting with the Departments of, The Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Trade and Justice & Equality; and

3. to extend the reduction to other Departments as resources permit; and

4. to engage with Government Departments to deal with the current backlog of records over 30 years old which have not yet been transferred to the National Archives.

These changes will be implemented following the enactment of the relevant legislation to amend the National Archives Act 1986. My Department, in consultation with the Director of the National Archives, have begun drafting Heads of a Bill, which I will bring to Government in due course.