Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Public Records Office for Northern Ireland (PRONI), part of the Department for Communities, has accumulated a significant backlog of overdue information requests for transferred public records, ie historical records transferred to PRONI from other public authorities. This is partly an unavoidable consequence of the absence of a devolved government in Northern Ireland during two periods: January 2017 – January 2020 and February 2022 – January 2024. However the oldest unanswered requests date from well before either suspension, and 40 requests were more than five years old at the end of December 2024. While acknowledging the specific problems faced by PRONI, the Commissioner is of the opinion that PRONI’s request handling practice does not conform to Part 4 of the section 45 Code of Practice. Again, the Commissioner recognises that this is often due to external constraints to which it is subject in practice, particularly in relation to difficulties with the statutory consultation process. The Commissioner has issued this practice recommendation to both support and enhance PRONI’s plans to clear the backlog of overdue requests, and return to compliance with legislative requirements, within a reasonable and proportionate timeframe. It will also serve to ensure transparency in relation to the steps both the Commissioner, and PRONI, have taken in this regard to date.