Government departments and records
Understanding the structure and history of government departments can greatly aid your research. For instance, the Department of Foreign Affairs’ embassy files contain reports on political events.
Over time, government department names and functions have changed. For example, the archives of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs are now part of the Department of Communications.
When departments change functions, the records created during that work are transferred to the new section or department. This is more common for records created since the 1970s, due to the expansion of government departments and public bodies. This can make tracing relevant records challenging for researchers.
To navigate this, it is useful to understand which government departments may have influenced the policy area in question and to determine if their functions have changed over time.
This can be done by consulting various sources on the history of the Civil Service and the websites of current departments. The Irish State Administration Database, developed by the Geary Institute at University College Dublin is also a valuable resource.
If you have difficulty locating records, consult the archives of the Department of the Taoiseach, which has traditionally acted as a secretariat to the government. All subject areas can be found in the central registry files of the Department of the Taoiseach.
Additional archival sources for Government policy research
Private collections, especially those of individuals involved in drafting policy, can be valuable to researchers. Many university archives hold private collections of politicians, civil servants, or organisations that contributed to specific policies.
The archives of University College Dublin specialise in political figures’ papers, but other collections may be found in the National Library of Ireland or the individual’s alma mater. Irish History Online, a database compiled by the Royal Irish Academy, lists archival sources in Ireland and abroad.
Note that private papers may be retained by the individual’s family and access is not guaranteed.
How to access Government department records
Government departmental records are typically not digitised, so researchers must visit the National Archives to explore these collections. With around 60 million items in its holdings, the National Archives offers a treasure trove of information and digitising all records is a challenge. If you are unable to visit the archives, you can order copies of files for a fee.
For further information, see how to order copies of documents.