Our role
The National Archives is the repository for all state papers and holds records of government of the modern Irish state. Our legacy collections contain records from private sources such as individuals, organisations, and businesses.
Over 60 million records document many aspects of life in Ireland both pre and post independence.
The National Archives holds the records of the modern Irish state from its foundation. Departmental records refer to all records created or received by all government departments, the courts and the 61 bodies listed in the schedule to the National Archives Act, 1986.
Preservation of records
Our work includes preserving records so that current and future generations can access them.
The records are catalogued and we produce ‘finding aids’ which describe what is contained in the records to facilitate access. Our conservation team ensures that more fragile records are stable and able to be accessed. In some cases, we digitise collections to ensure the records are still accessible to researchers but are handled less.
Outreach programmes
We promote these records through our outreach programmes such as guided visits, lecture series and workshops as well as online through our social media and website platforms.
Annual releases
Every January, the release of state records is made available under the National Archives Act of 1986. These government files are 30 years old.
In 2024 the releases are a mixture of material released under the 30 and the 20 year rules. They contain:
- 30 year old records mainly dating to 1993 from a variety of departments and scheduled bodies
- Anglo-Irish (AI) records relating to the peace process and Northern Ireland, including the Good Friday Agreement, from the 1990s to December 2003. These are from: the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Attorney General.
Strategic plan
Our strategy identifies the priorities that will guide our work as well as setting a vision for the National Archives that positions it at the heart of government and Irish public life.
Key priorities for the strategy include:
- new state-of-the-art archive repository
- digital transformation programme
- new framework for records management across government
- a commemorations and outreach programme