‘The only hope is that the measure is so poorly thought-through and therefore so absurd, that it will be impossible to implement it. Perhaps the records will show that this was just a foolish afterthought and perhaps those records will eventually end up in an archive worthy of a self-respecting State’.
I hope that Fintan O’ Toole’s prophecy from above comes true; otherwise if the Irish government gets their way, a ‘proposed amalgamation of the National Archives, National Library and Irish Manuscripts Commission’ will occur. It is widely agreed that the National Archives of Ireland has being under-funded and under-staffed for many a year and
‘a merger could achieve no significant economies since all three bodies are already under-resourced – especially the National Archives, which has been so seriously neglected that it is barely able to discharge its statutory responsibilities’.
Successive government inaction with regards the National Archives of Ireland is akin to a form of memoricide. It seems that for a country so proud of its identity and culture, we do as little as possible to preserve it for future generations. Where has the government got this idea from, who have they consulted and what models have they looked at ? No National Archives Advisory Council was in place while this decision was taken, therefore no discussions could be held. The Canadian model of merging the national library and archives could be used as a blueprint for Ireland. However, the Canadians in their wisdom, financially and structurally upgraded the institutions involved, not lessened, as is the intention in the Irish merger.
‘Canada is the first country to fully integrate the services and programs of its national library and national archives. Library and Archives Canada is a new type of knowledge institution designed to collect, to preserve and to provide Canadians with access to our nation’s documentary heritage’.
It is important to note that, ‘As a nation, we have already destroyed the national archives once, resulting in the acute cultural impoverishment of our own people and of the many visitors who come to Ireland in search of their identity’.
The Irish Society for Archives have detailed opposition to the proposed merger.
Damien,
A very interesting Blog and really points to the problems associated with those who are responsible for the records of our national history/heritage.
Keep up the good work we need more young Archivists to speak out. Perhaps its now time to visit our Taoiseach and brief him on the importance of Ireland’s Archives now and for future generations.
You keep blogging and we will start to oil the green wheels for Dublin.