(LRC Revised)

Number 11 of 1986

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACT 1986

REVISED

Updated to 1 December 2025

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

National Archives Act 1986

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including

Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act 2025

(12/2025), enacted 20 November 2025, and all

statutory instruments up to and including

European Union (Hague Maintenance Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

(S.I. No. 583 of 2025), made 1 December 2025, were considered in the preparation

of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

11

of

1986

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACT 1986

REVISED

Updated to 1 December 2025

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.

Interpretation.

2.

Archives and Departmental records.

2A.

Relevant records

3.

Establishment of National Archives.

4.

Functions of Director of National Archives.

5.

Director of National Archives.

6.

Staff of National Archives.

7.

Retention and disposal of Departmental records.

8.

Transfer of Departmental records more than 30 years old.

9.

Disposal of archives by Director.

10.

Right to inspect archives.

11.

Right to direct that certain records be made available for public inspection.

12.

Authenticity of records after transfer to National Archives.

13.

Certain records to be Departmental records, etc.

14.

Deposit of certain Departmental records.

15.

Recovery of private documents.

16.

Seal of National Archives.

17.

Copyright and reproduction of archives.

18.

Removal of archives, etc.

19.

Regulations, etc.

20.

National Archives Advisory Council.

21.

Annual Reports.

22.

Construction of certain references.

23.

Repeals, etc.

24.

Saver for certain records loaned, etc.

25.

Expenses.

26.

Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULE

Acts Referred to

Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956

1956, No. 45

Civil Service Regulation Acts, 1956 and 1958

County Management Acts, 1940 to 1972

Irish Church Act Amendment Act, 1881

1881, c. 71

Parochial Records Act, 1876

1876, c. 58

Prisons Acts, 1826 to 1980

Public Records (Ireland) Act, 1867

1867, c. 70

Public Records (Ireland) Act, 1867, Amendment Act, 1875

1875, c. 59

Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1963

Number

11

of

1986

NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACT 1986

REVISED

Updated to 1 December 2025

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BODY TO BE KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

AND FOR OTHER CONNECTED MATTERS. [18

th May

, 1986]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

The history of the functions

vested in the Taoiseach under this Act can be traced as follows

• Functions (other

than those under ss. 1(3), 8(4), 8(10)(

b

), 8(11) and 11) vested in

the

Taoiseach

by or under this Act transferred and references to the

Taoiseach

construed as

Gaeltacht

(20.01.1993) by

Arts

and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial

Functions) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 21 of 1993), arts. 2-4, 7-9, subject

to transitional provisions in arts. 5-6;

• Title of Minister for the

Gaeltacht

altered (20.01.1993) to

Arts, Culture and the

Gaeltacht

by

Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and

Title of Minister) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 22 of 1993), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Arts, Heritage,

Gaeltacht and the Islands

(12.07.1997) by

Arts, Culture and the

Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order

1997

(S.I. No. 306 of 1997), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Functions (same as above,

i.e. other than those under ss. 1(3), 8(4), 8(10)(

b

), 8(11) and 11)

transferred and references to Minister for

Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and

the Islands

construed as

Tourism, Sport and Recreation

(18.06.2002) by

Arts and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration

and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002

(S.I. No. 302 of 2002), arts.

2-4, subject to transitional provisions in arts. 5-9;

• Title of Minister

for

Tourism, Sport and Recreation

altered to

Arts, Sport and

Tourism

(19.06.2002) by

Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Alteration

of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002

(S.I. No.

309 of 2002), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Sport and Tourism

altered (2.05.2010) to

Tourism,

Culture and Sport

by

Arts, Sport and Tourism (Alteration of Name

of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010

(S.I. No. 178 of

2010), art. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Tourism, Culture and Sport

altered (2.06.2011) to

Arts,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht

by

Tourism, Culture and Sport

(Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011

(S.I. No. 220 of 2011), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Arts, Heritage,

Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

(7.07.2016) by

Arts,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title

of Minister) Order 2016

(S.I. No. 357 of 2016), art. 1(2) and 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

altered to

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

(1.08.2017) by

Arts,

Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Alteration of Name of

Department and Title of Minister) Order 2017

(S.I. No. 350 of 2017),

arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Tourism,

Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

(30.09.2020) by

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department

and Title of Minister) Order 2020

(S.I. No. 403 of 2020), arts.

1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister for

Tourism,

Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

altered to

Culture,

Communications and Sport

(2.06.2025) by

Tourism, Culture, Arts,

Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Alteration of Name of Department and Title

of Minister) Order 2025

(S.I. No. 236 of 2025), arts. 1(2), 3.

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

The history of the functions

vested in the Taoiseach under this Act can be traced as follows

• Functions (other

than those under ss. 1(3), 8(4), 8(10)(

b

), 8(11) and 11) vested in

the

Taoiseach

by or under this Act transferred and references to the

Taoiseach

construed as

Gaeltacht

(20.01.1993) by

Arts

and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial

Functions) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 21 of 1993), arts. 2-4, 7-9, subject

to transitional provisions in arts. 5-6;

• Title of Minister for the

Gaeltacht

altered (20.01.1993) to

Arts, Culture and the

Gaeltacht

by

Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and

Title of Minister) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 22 of 1993), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Arts, Heritage,

Gaeltacht and the Islands

(12.07.1997) by

Arts, Culture and the

Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order

1997

(S.I. No. 306 of 1997), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Functions (same as above,

i.e. other than those under ss. 1(3), 8(4), 8(10)(

b

), 8(11) and 11)

transferred and references to Minister for

Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and

the Islands

construed as

Tourism, Sport and Recreation

(18.06.2002) by

Arts and Culture (Transfer of Departmental Administration

and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002

(S.I. No. 302 of 2002), arts.

2-4, subject to transitional provisions in arts. 5-9;

• Title of Minister

for

Tourism, Sport and Recreation

altered to

Arts, Sport and

Tourism

(19.06.2002) by

Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Alteration

of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002

(S.I. No.

309 of 2002), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Sport and Tourism

altered (2.05.2010) to

Tourism,

Culture and Sport

by

Arts, Sport and Tourism (Alteration of Name

of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010

(S.I. No. 178 of

2010), art. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Tourism, Culture and Sport

altered (2.06.2011) to

Arts,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht

by

Tourism, Culture and Sport

(Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011

(S.I. No. 220 of 2011), arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Arts, Heritage,

Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

(7.07.2016) by

Arts,

Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title

of Minister) Order 2016

(S.I. No. 357 of 2016), art. 1(2) and 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

altered to

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

(1.08.2017) by

Arts,

Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Alteration of Name of

Department and Title of Minister) Order 2017

(S.I. No. 350 of 2017),

arts. 1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister

for

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

altered to

Tourism,

Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

(30.09.2020) by

Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department

and Title of Minister) Order 2020

(S.I. No. 403 of 2020), arts.

1(2), 3;

• Title of Minister for

Tourism,

Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

altered to

Culture,

Communications and Sport

(2.06.2025) by

Tourism, Culture, Arts,

Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Alteration of Name of Department and Title

of Minister) Order 2025

(S.I. No. 236 of 2025), arts. 1(2), 3.

Section

1.

Interpretation.

2.

Archives and Departmental records.

2A.

Relevant records

3.

Establishment of National Archives.

4.

Functions of Director of National Archives.

5.

Director of National Archives.

6.

Staff of National Archives.

7.

Retention and disposal of Departmental records.

8.

Transfer of Departmental records more than 30 years old.

9.

Disposal of archives by Director.

10.

Right to inspect archives.

11.

Right to direct that certain records be made available for public inspection.

12.

Authenticity of records after transfer to National Archives.

13.

Certain records to be Departmental records, etc.

14.

Deposit of certain Departmental records.

15.

Recovery of private documents.

16.

Seal of National Archives.

17.

Copyright and reproduction of archives.

18.

Removal of archives, etc.

19.

Regulations, etc.

20.

National Archives Advisory Council.

21.

Annual Reports.

22.

Construction of certain references.

23.

Repeals, etc.

24.

Saver for certain records loaned, etc.

25.

Expenses.

26.

Short title and commencement.

SCHEDULE

Number

11

of

1986