Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1413. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1294 of 9 July 2020, the details of the location of records of a person (details supplied). [18986/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can inform the Deputy that my Department has conducted a search for records relating to the person referred to by the Deputy. These searches identified a single file opened in 1940 and closed in 1942, the file title records the same name as the person referred to but a different address to that supplied.

In 2012, my Department transferred this file with certain individual records abstracted to the National Archives. A search on the National Archives' website for the person's full name will identify the relevant file but for ease of reference I will communicate the file reference number and other details to the Deputy separately.

The abstracted papers from the file remain in the possession of my Department. As I previously advised the Deputy, such papers were retained because they contained personal information which, if released, might cause distress to family members still alive.

As there is a discrepancy in the addresses, there is the possibility that this file does not relate to the person referred. On foot of receipt of the information relating to the file, if the Deputy confirms that the file is of interest and the Deputy so wishes, I can direct my officials, when the current restrictions allow, to review and release, if appropriate, the abstracted records my Department holds from the file in question.