The National Archives of Ireland holds official State documents and records for preservation. The documents are kept at buildings in Bishop Street, Dublin 8 where there are public reading rooms and storage facilities for the documents. There are two distinct buildings on the site, an office block where the reading rooms, staff offices and some storage are housed and an adjoining warehouse for the storage of the archives. The National Archives will continue to be occupied and operate during the construction period.

The proposed development, comprising approx. gross floor area of 5,200m2, consists of the construction of ground and new first floor archive repository accommodation and circulation areas, with climate control and fire protection. Construction will take place within the existing warehouse walls and roof. The existing floor slab will be removed and replaced by new foundations and floor slab at finished floor level of the existing ground floor. A piling solution is proposed; the completion of the piling design is to be carried out by the piling contractor or specialists. The structure will be a self-supporting in-situ reinforced concrete work. Vertical circulation between ground floor and first floor will be provided via four separate stair cores and two separate lifts. Two of the four stair cores will be continued to the attic space to facilitate maintenance access. Lift access to the attic is not proposed. 

The external works include the replacement of clerestory windows, the widening of an existing escape door and the addition of one escape door, both onto Bride Street. An existing wall with door onto the car park to the East of the warehouse will be widened to accommodate access during the construction period and reversed to reinstate the existing wall and door. A mist suppression tank and associated plant/ equipment shall be provided within the existing car park, complete with new security enclosure.