An explanatory note about the State papers and the The Irish Timescoverage.
Confidential cabinet papers are released 30 years after the events they cover. This year the focus has been on 1976.
However, some papers are withheld for a variety of reasons and released later. Today's coverage includes one file from 1932, and others from intervening years up and including 1976.
Contributors
Stephen Collins is political editor of The Irish Times. His publications include Breaking the Mouldand The Power Game.
Eamon Phoenix is a principal lecturer in history at Stranmillis University College (QUB), and the author of Northern Nationalism, Nationalist Politics and the Catholic Minority. This is his 22nd year contributing to The Irish Timescoverage of the annual release of cabinet papers.
Additional material not included in print editions is available on Ireland.com.
Public access
Dublin papers may be inspected at the National Archive, Bishop Street, Dublin 8, www.nationalarchive.ie
Belfast papers may be inspected at the Public Record office of Northern Ireland, 66 Balmoral Avenue, Belfast BT9 6NY, www.proni.gov.uk
British papers may be inspected at the National Archives, Kew, Surrey TW9 4DU, England, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk