The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D. is
pleased to announce that his Department has today transferred a total of
over 950 files from the Department’s Security archive covering the period
1940 – 1943 to the National Archives.
The release of this material is a result of the work of the Archives
Advisory Group which was established in February 2006 to advise the
Department on the historical value of the archive records which it holds,
or are under its control, which are over 30 years old. The Group was also
given the task of advising the Department on the arrangements it could put
in place to make these records available for the purpose of advancing
academic research, including any guidelines and conditions that could be
applied by the Department in granting access to the records for that
purposed.
The Group is chaired by Professor Mary Daly, UCD.
Launching the release of the files at the National Archives, the Minister
said “The release of these records underlines my Department’s, and my own
interest, in filling the gaps in our historical knowledge about this
crucial period in Ireland’s, and indeed Europe’s, development and history.
It was a period of devastation and turmoil across Europe in which events
occurred that resulted in and led to the death of millions of people. Our
State was on the outer edge of these events and while affected by them did
not experience the terrible horrors which impacted on the many millions of
people who lost their lives and others who suffered tragedy throughout the
Second World War. I hope that these files will prove invaluable to
historians in helping to explain the State’s response to the extraordinary
events of the time and the circumstances with which the State was
confronted.”
The Minister said that there are many matters of interest to historians and
researchers contained in these files which will throw more light on this
period of our history.
The Minister also expressed his appreciation to Prof Daly and her
colleagues for their work in preparing the files for release “I want to
thank Prof Daly and her colleagues who have given their time selflessly to
this important work and enabling the Department to realise the value of its
historical archive. It is long overdue and these records belong, rightly,
in the National Archives where they can be accessed and read by anyone who
has an interest in this period of our history.”
22 November, 2012
ENDS
Note to Editors
The Archives Advisory Group was appointed by the Minster for Justice in
February 2006 with the following terms of reference:
‘To advise the Department on the historical value of the archive records
which it holds, or are under its control, which are over 30 years old.
To advise the Department on the arrangements it could put in place to make
records available for the purpose of advancing academic research, including
any guidelines and conditions that could be applied by the Department in
granting access to the records for that purpose.’
The members of the Group are:
Professor Mary Daly, UCD School of History and Archives, (Chairperson)
Professor Ronan Fanning, Professor Emeritus of Modern History, UCD
Professor Dermot Keogh, Professor Emeritus of History, UCC
Professor Eunan O’Halpin, Professor of Contemporary Irish History, TCD
Dr. Gerard Hogan, SC (resigned upon his appointment to the High Court)
Dr Margaret O’Callaghan, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Queens University,
Belfast
Mr. Thomas Quinlan, Senior Archivist, National Archives
Mr. Val O’Donnell, Department of Justice and Equality
Mr. John Cronin, Department of Justice and Equality
Description of files released:
The files bow being released cover a range of subjects including files
related to:
- Background to the Offences against the State Act 1939
- Persons arrested under the Offences Against the State Act or
interned under the Emergency Powers Act
- Matters related to the raid on the Magazine Fort in December, 1939
- Garda reports on individuals who, and organisations which, were
considered a threat to the State.
- Emergency Preparations in the event of war
- Reports on individuals of German nationality in Ireland
- Anti Jewish activities
This is the third tranche of files to be released as a result of the work
of the Group.