Museums & Archive

The Museums and Archive Committee acknowledges existing legislation in the museum and archives areas.

Under Archives, the main legislative impacts are:

• The National Archives Act, 1986
• Local Government Act, 1994, Section 65
• Local Government Act, 2001, Section 80. This states clearly that ‘it is a function of a Local Authority to make arrangements for the proper management, custody, care and conservation of local records…’.

Additional legislation has had impact on the above, including:

• Freedom of Information Act, 1997
• Freedom of Information (Amendment) Act, 2003
• Planning and Development Act, 2000
• Data Protection (Amendment) Act, 2003
• Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005   

Such Acts all impact heavily on the record-keeping practices of Local Authorities and must be acknowledged in the development of Local Authority archives services.

It is expected that new Guidelines for Local Authority Archives Services will acknowledge The Electronic Commerce, Act, 2000 and other e-government initiatives.

A limited range of Statutes pertains to the Irish museum sector, with nothing defining the operation of museums outside the National Cultural Institutions www.irishstatutebook.ie. The main legislation is The National Monuments Act, 1930 and various Amendment Acts (1930-2004) along with a range of Statutory Instruments (1930-2005), together with The National Gallery of Ireland, Acts, 1854-1997.