GEN-HISPANIC-L Archives

From: Phogan< >
Subject: Re: Heritage Center Report
Date: 2 Jun 1997 19:27:42 GMT
References: <5mafb4$oin$1@taliesin.netcom.net.uk>

Irish Roots page 5 No. 2 1997.

Irish Genealogical Project
--------------------------
The Irish Genealogical Project commenced in 1988 with the aim of
developing a computerised database of information relevant to
family history research in Ireland.
Six major genealogical sources were to be fed into computers:
church records, civil records of births deaths and marriages,
the l901 and 1911 censuses, Griffith's 'Valuation' and the
tithe applotment books. It was planned that, once the database
was completed, a comprehensive family history research service
would be provided, based on a country-wide network of centres
and independent professional genealogists. The data compiled
would be stored locally on computer systems linked to a common
central system maintained by a central co-ordinating agency.
The main objective of the IGP was and still is to stimulate
and capitalise on genealogy-related tourism. The project has been
dogged by many difficulties from its inception and it has been the
subject of many reports over the years. The latest report, this time
from the Comptroller and Auditor General, was published last month,
lt focuses on the'value for money' aspect of the ICP, particularly
on the extent to which the project has succeeded in creating the
computer database and in putting in place a system for delivering
a family history research service.
Cost
The Report estimates that funding by Irish public sector agencies for
the project between 1988 and July 1996 amounted to 15 million of this,
12.5 million was provided by FAS, the national training agency.
The rest of the money was provided by the Department of the Taoiseach
(250.000) Bord Failte ( 680,000) the Shannon free Airport Company
(410,000) and the International fund for Ireland 1,130,000).
Incomplete
----------
By the end of July 1996, the report states, less than 30 percent
of the estimated 29 million target records had been computerised,
although in 1990 it was envisaged that work on the database would
be completed within three years. None of the 28 centres participating
in the project have completed the task of computerising the target
records for their own areas.
At present, there is no overall target date for completion of the
task. Only 7 Centres expect to have computerised all their target
records by the year 2000; one centre envisages computerisation of
religious records in its catchment area taking at least ten years
more at current activity levels.

Database Accuracy
-----------------
From the point of view of end-users of the IGP database, the most
depressing part of the Report is to be found on pages 20-21.
This section refers to the findings of a sample survey, carried
out for the purposes of the Report, to check the accuracy of the
records already entered onto the database.
On paper, the IGP demands very high standards of accuracy.
A manual issued in 1991 requires supervisors to check records
on a sample basis and where the critical error rate exceeds
10 in 3,000 records (a rate of 0.3 percent), the batch of work
from which the sample was drawn should be completely redone.
The IGP manual defines a critical error as an error which is
likely to prevent a given record from being found in research,
or which misleads or is likely to mislead subsequent research.
Examples of critical errors are: incorrect recording of a name
or the year of an event,or omission of data. A sample of Roman
Catholic baptisms and marriage records was extracted from the
databases in six IGP centres. A total of 2,659 records were
examined against the microfilm version of the original registers
held in the National Library. Of those that could be identified
on the microfilm, it was found that nearly 10 percent had critical
errors. Part of this extraordinary rate of error was due to the
omission of certain types of information, such as the names of
the marriage witnesses. It may be that the records in question
were compiled before the standard IGP procedures were in place.
However, even if such errors of omission are excluded, the
sample showed a critical error rate of 3.7 percent-- 111 errors
in 3000. These are errors of such significance as to be likely
to prevent a record from being found during research or to
mislead a researcher. This is over eleven times the rate
permitted under the quality control procedures set for the
project. There is, in addition, the further 6 percent of the
records in which there were significant omissions,
i.e. details contained in the original records which,
according to IGP procedures, should have been computerised.

Further details see Irish Roots page 5 No. 2 1997.
Full report from the Goverment Publication sales office,
Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, Tel: + 353 +1 +6613 111

Patrick Hogan.
Historical Research Ireland

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