A further 500 secret documents from the government files available online

Dr Michael Willis, PRONI Director, has welcomed the online publication of documents relating to the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 making them more accessible to a worldwide audience.

Around 580 documents have been added to the Conflict Archive on the INternet (CAIN) website as part of ongoing work involving Ulster University and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) The material provides a valuable insight into the workings of the Anglo-Irish Agreement after 1985. The documents on offer provide people with an opportunity to view some of the discussions that were then taking place around issues such as fair employment, the Irish language as well as ongoing political and security matters. In addition, the material also begins to chart the period leading up to the Brooke – Mayhew talks of 1991-92.

Dr Willis commented: “It is essential that people have the opportunity to view records for themselves from our recent past.

“This additional material covers a wide range of records and will let people easily uncover the details behind the headlines of those years.

“The partnership with Ulster University continues to deliver an important public service and highlights how collaboration and technology is being used to promote the significant archives held in PRONI.”

Dr Brendan Lynn, CAIN Deputy Director, added: “CAIN is delighted to have been able to continue our cooperation with PRONI and to update the existing section with material dealing with the years 1988,1989 and 1990.  The latest additions will bring to more than 2,200 the number of PRONI records available on CAIN.

“The information itself is easily available and free of charge. We believe it will be of great use to students, researchers, teachers and lecturers or to anyone with an interest in the political and social history of Northern Ireland.”

Notes to editors: 

1. The Public Record Office of NI (PRONI) is a division of the Department for Communities and is located at 2 Titanic Boulevard, Titanic Quarter, Belfast.
2. The CAIN website provides an extensive range of information and source material on the conflict and politics from 1968 to the present day. The site is used by a worldwide audience and has received more than 21 million visits since it was launched in March 1997.  The documents published today were previously only available by visiting PRONI.
3. Currently there are over 2200 PRONI public records on CAIN and which amount to approximately 9,000 pages.
4. CAIN is based at Ulster University, within INCORE and the School of Applied Social & Policy Sciences
5. CAIN is a component of ARK (Access Research Knowledge, (http://www.ark.ac.uk/) a resource providing access to social and political material that inform social and political debate in the region and raises the profile of social science research. ARK is based within Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast
6. For media enquiries please contact the DfC Press Office on 028 90829532.  Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned
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