Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 December 2025
416. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are plans to appoint a person with suitable archival qualifications to the National Centre for Research and Remembrance Steering Committee. [68882/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Centre for Research and Remembrance will be located in Sean MacDermott Street, Dublin 1. It will comprise a museum and exhibition space which will form part of the National Museum of Ireland, and a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century which will form part of the National Archives.
This Centre will 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 campus will also make a valuable contribution to the social and economic development of Dublin’s North East Inner City, through the provision of social housing units, further and higher educational facilities, and facilities for family and parenting supports.
A Steering Group, chaired by Mr Martin Fraser, former Secretary General to the Government and Ambassador to Great Britain, is driving the overall coordinated development of the National Centre campus. Work on the repository of records within the National Centre is being led by the National Archives and the Director of the National Archives is a member of the Steering Group.
In addition, the Steering Group has established a dedicated legal subgroup to consider and develop legislative proposals relating to the transfer of records to the National Archives. Membership of this subgroup includes representation from the National Archives. The Steering Group has also established an Archives subgroup, chaired by the National Archives, with representatives from archival and records management staff from across relevant government departments.
This repository in the National Centre is intended as a specialised archive within the overall National Archives and will be operated by staff of the National Archives. A dedicated team of experienced archivists has been established in the National Archives and is currently working with several government departments to identify and prepare records for transfer to the National Archives in advance of the opening of the Centre.
