Many State files are never released to public

Restricted files: The Government files chosen for release to the public every year are just a percentage of the State's total records. Large tranches of files are not eligible for public viewing for a variety of reasons.

Files may not be released if it is felt this would be contrary to the public interest or could constitute a breach of statutory duty, for example, in the case of the Garda Síochána where confidential information has been received.

State papers may not be released if it is felt they might cause distress or danger to living persons or could lead to a defamation action.

Mr Tom Quinlan, head of records and acquisitions at the National Archives, said personnel files were automatically excluded for reasons of privacy.

Of all the files eligible for release, about 1 per cent are withheld from the public every year, he said. In recent months, the National Archives received about 4,000 files from Government departments for release this month.

During the media preview of the State papers, most departments do not list the files they have restricted so it is impossible to know what information is being withheld.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is one of the few departments to outline the files being restricted.

This year, it forbade the public's access to a file dated 1946/47 on "complaints of discourtesy etc, of officials at British airports".

It also withheld a file on the official entertainment and accounts involving the London Press Fund in 1972/73.

A file on compensation claims for damage to property in Cavan caused by actions of the British security forces was also withheld.

Witness statements on police brutality in 1971 were restricted though it was not clear if this referred to Northern Ireland. A 1973 file on adverse reports of British army behaviour in Northern Ireland was also restricted.

A file which was called "Protestant Extremism" was also withheld by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

A file on Irish Government policy on Nigeria/Biafra political issues in 1969-1972 was restricted while certain parts of files of press cuttings on Ireland and Northern Ireland were not released.

The release of Department of Defence files seems to have been greatly restricted, with many files just containing press cuttings.

For example, the file on Keith and Kenneth Littlejohn is little more than newspaper extracts. These English adventurers had links with British intelligence and were convicted in 1973 of the armed robbery of the AIB on Grafton Street, Dublin.

It emerged that Jack Lynch had been briefed about the men's activities and their links with the British government when he was Taoiseach. Mr Lynch said he had forgotten that this had happened.

Any Government file on the issue would have been expected to throw new light on this issue but the Department of Defence file only contains copies of newspaper articles on the subject.