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.