asked the Minister for Health whether the cost of issuing a birth or death certificate is greater than the charge made for it; if so, by how much and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Issue of Certificates.
78.
The function of the registration authorities under the Registration Acts involves much more than the issue of certificates. Certificates are issued at central level by the General Register Office and at local level by the health boards in their capacities as Superintendent Registrars. While the overall cost of providing the service outweights the fees received, the imbalance is not of the order suggested. A good number of certificates are required for social welfare purposes and these are issued at a greatly reduced rate. As already pointed out in reply to an earlier question, the fees are kept under regular review with a view, in the longer term, to making the service as self financing as possible.