State Papers - Missing files undermine confidence

The year 1979 was one of great historical significance, but that is hardly apparent from the State Papers released today.

It was the year in which Charles J Haughey replaced Jack Lynch as Taoiseach. For some months Fianna Fáil backbenchers had been scheming on Haughey’s behalf, but there is little indication of this in the papers.

This is possibly a reflection of a change of culture among the civil servants. They were undoubtedly well aware of what was happening but they would have just talked about it among themselves, or used the telephone so there would be no written record.

State Papers were not opened for the first time until the mid-1970s, so by 1979, many civil servants would have become conscious that what they were writing would likely be released during their lifetime. As a result, the kind of sensational notes of earlier years are now becoming fewer and fewer.

Although all departments are supposed to release their files in line with the 30-year rule, many departments have essentially withheld their files. Some of those could be of enormous significance.

The budget provision introducing a 2% levy on farmers caused considerable political upheaval in 1979. When the Government appeared to be backing off the measure, it sparked the biggest PAYE protests ever seen in this country, and undoubtedly contributed to unrest on the Fianna Fáil backbenches. Yet there are no files released from the Department of Finance, or the Department of Agriculture.

During that year, Mr Haughey distinguished himself as Minister for Health. In a public opinion poll in mid-1979, he had by far the highest favourable rating of any government minister. He was responsible for introducing the controversial Family Planning Bill and groundbreaking legislation to restrict the promotion and advertising of tobacco products, yet there were no files from the Department of Health among those released.

There was a major controversy during 1979 about what Jack Lynch agreed with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in relation to British helicopters being allowed to over-fly the border, but no papers on this issue were released by the Department of Defence.

Likewise in recent months, there has been considerable controversy about the paedophile abuse extending back to this period. In the past, there have been various references to reports on such abuse to the Department of Education, but again this year there were no files from that department. With the exception of the Departments of the Taoiseach, Attorney General, and Foreign Affairs, it seems as if there is a virtual conspiracy to withhold the information from the public.

Those frustrating the release of State Papers are not only undermining the public’s right to know, they are also undermining their own positions, because they are really inviting the public to conclude that their department in did nothing of consequence during that momentous year of 1979.