The National Archives of Ireland is running out of appropriate storage space to house its records.
The National Archives of Ireland in Bishop Street, Dublin, is the official repository for the state records of Ireland, storing millions of records. Some of its documents are hundreds of years old, others are more recent.
All of them though provide a glimpse into the past and an insight into how the country we now live in was shaped.
By law, every government department must deposit 30 year-old documents every 12 months. But with this comes problems.
Simply put the National Archives has run out of suitable space for the proper storage of its records.
Director of the National Archives Dr David Craig explains that a living archive can only function if it has the quantity and quality of archive storage it requires.
And realistically, we don't have either of the standards required.
Due to a lack of space, a countless number of records are being stored in a warehouse behind the main building. This space is too big, and the temperature and humidity is unsuitable for proper archive care.
Many of the records are wrapped in waterproofing because of concerns over the roof.
Although some of the records in boxes have not been opened, senior archivist in the National Archives and Chairperson of the Archivist’s branch of IMPACT Catríona Crowe is confident they know what they contain.
And it’s very good material, it’s material that people, by and large, would like to see if they had the opportunity, but they don’t.
Despite the country's economic worries, Professor of Modern Irish History in University College Dublin (UCD) Diarmaid Ferriter believes,
The question of what we do with our archives, with our national archives, is central to this question of how we value our heritage.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin is not in a position to sanction a new National Archives building or additional staff. As the Office of Public Works (OPW) is converting the big warehouse into smaller compartments, documents are likely to remain there for some time to come.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 1 June 2010. The reporter is Conor Hunt.
