asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that Mr. J. F. Meagher, B.L., Mitchelstown, Cork, made application on January 27th, 1926, to the Registrar-General's offices, for birth certificates, to enable him to secure passports for his family to travel to U.S.A. on March 14th, 1926, and that certificates did not reach him up to February 28th, 1926; whether, as many complaints have been made with regard to the difficulty experienced in obtaining birth certificates, he will instruct that henceforth applications for birth certificates, whether made through post or by personal call, will be promptly attended to.
WRITTEN ANSWERS. - BIRTH CERTIFICATE APPLICATIONS.
The facts are as stated in the Deputy's question. An abnormal demand for certificates arose during January and February last, with the result that it was not possible to deal as promptly as I would have wished with the applications received. Arrangements have now been made by which it is hoped that arrears will be reduced at an early date.