The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is to follow a new five-year strategy from 2026 through to 2031, launched by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

Titled ‘Building our future by preserving our past’, the document outlines plans to expand public engagement with Northern Ireland’s archival collections and accelerate the institution’s digital transformation.

Minister Lyons said the strategy would give PRONI a confident direction, building on current foundations while embracing new ways to reach wider audiences.

Over the coming years, the archive intends to improve digital access to its holdings, assist historical redress schemes, and grow its international profile.

A redesigned PRONI website is already live, which the Minister highlighted as a step towards making shared history more accessible.

The strategy also reaffirms the archive’s role in safeguarding records that document the lives of people and communities across Northern Ireland.