Vol. 491 No. 3
295 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to provide a reasonable waiting room space for persons applying for birth, marriage and death certificates to alleviate the long queues in the street. [12008/98]
I am aware that the queues for services outside the registration offices located at Joyce House, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2, have been considerable in recent times and I regret the inconvenience to the persons concerned. The administration of the registration system, including the services and facilities provided at Joyce House is statutorily a matter for An tArd-Chláraitheoir — Registrar-General — of Births, Deaths and Marriages and for the Superintendent Registrar, Dublin — and Registrars — who operate under his general direction.
There are two separate offices located at Joyce House issuing certificates of births, deaths and marriages, the General Register Office and the above-mentioned Superintendent Registrar's Office on the ground floor, which provides certificates for all births, deaths and — Roman Catholic — marriages occurring within the Dublin city and county area. This latter office in particular is currently experiencing a very high level of demand for certificates which is the primary cause of the long queues outside the building.
Measures have been taken to improve the situation. The Eastern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the Superintendent Registrar's Office, has secured a lease on a premises adjoining the offices in Lombard Street. However, I understand that it will take some weeks to occupy and commission the new offices. In the interim the board has taken steps to improve staffing levels in the Superintendent Registrar's Office in order to redress the problem. The additional staff has increased the rate of production of certificates and this has reduced the size of the queues.
