Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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400. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the need to safeguard institutional archives; and if his attention has been drawn to the legislative framework in Northern Ireland on the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38801/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In March 2022, Government approved high-level proposals for a National Centre for Research and Remembrance, to be located on the site of the former Magdalen Laundry on Sean McDermott Street in Dublin 1. This Centre will stand as a site of conscience to honour equally all those who spent time in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, Reformatories, and related institutions.

The National Centre will stand as part of our national institutions. In addition to a museum and exhibition space, and a garden for reflection and remembrance, it will include a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives (NAI). Most of the records to be contained in the National Centre will transfer to NAI from a government department or State body who created, received or held the records in the course of their own business functions. A process has commenced across departments to prepare these records for transfer to the National Centre under the provisions of the National Archives Act 1986.

Other organisations and institutions have also been identified such as private/religious institutions and/or individuals that may hold relevant records not subject to the National Archives Act. As part of its ongoing work, NAI is engaging with these institutions and bodies to address how such records could be appropriately made available over time, and accessible for research purposes in the context of the new archive given the complementarity of such holdings.

I am aware that legislation in relation to the preservation of institutional records is in place in Northern Ireland. The issue of further legislative provisions to safeguard privately held records in this State is something which is currently being examined under the Legal and Legislative workstream of the National Centre initiative.