asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that the Registrar-General has recently notified Superintendent-Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages that certificates issued by them will no longer be accepted for passport purposes, and that certificates must be obtained from the General Register Office, and whether, in view of the serious loss of fees to the Superintendent-Registrars and the inconvenience to applicants which will result from the new arrangements, he will have the matter reconsidered.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SUPERINTENDENT - REGISTRARS' CERTIFICATES.
The notification referred to has been issued as the certificates for passport purposes require the seal of the Registrar-General. The matter has been fully considered, and inconvenience will not arise.
Is the Minister aware that a correspondence fee of 1s. 6d., in addition to the ordinary fee for certificates, is demanded from the applicants, and does he not think that that is an inconvenience to the applicants?
The matter has been very carefully considered; all the circumstances of the case have been inquired into, and it is considered that this is a much more desirable procedure than that which was formerly in operation.
What remuneration will Superintendent-Registrars in the country get for their work under this department, as their sole remuneration was from fees received from applicants for certificates?
This particular work is work of an exceptional character. and it arises from the fact that the American consular authorities demand two certificates of birth from all intending emigrants. As a result of this unexpected demand, there is a very great increase in the applications for these certificates. If these Superintendent Registrars were entitled to receive all the fees in connection with the giving of these certificates, it would mean an additional increase in their salary of about £290 a year. It was obviously never intended that the remuneration of these highly-paid officials should increase to that extent. It is obviously a sum to be returned to the Central Fund, which is the fund which has to bear all the necessary expense in connection with the granting of these certificates.
Will the Minister consider the question of waiving the claim for an additional 1s. 6d. correspondence fee which is made by the Registrar-General on each certificate? In view of the unemployment throughout the country, I think that the Minister should facilitate people who want to get away and not put a stop to those who want to get away from this land of unemployment and want.