Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 6

Written Answers. - Birth Certificates.

John Perry

Question:

206 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children if persons (details supplied) in County Sligo will be allowed to amend an original birth certificate for their daughter in view of the fact that they were not aware of the difficulties involved in altering the certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8814/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The administration of the registration system is a matter for An t-Ard Chláraitheoir (the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages) and for local registrars who operate under his general direction.

The Registration of Births Act, 1996 No. 36 of 1996) introduced a number of changes in the format of the register of births including the regis tration of a surname for the child. These changes apply to all births registered on or after 1 October 1997. Section 1(3) of that Act provides that the surname of the child to be entered in the register shall be that of the mother or father of the child as shown in the register or both, Section 1(4) of that Act provides that when the birth of a child is being re-registered the surname of the child shall be that which had been entered in the register on the initial registration.

In the case referred to by the Deputy the birth was registered, in accordance with the provisions of the 1996 Act, on the signatures of both parents and the entry includes details of both the father and the mother as well as the surname assigned to the child by the parents. In these circumstances it is not open to An t-Ard Chláraitheoir to authorise the amendment referred to by the Deputy.

I understand that, prior to the introduction of the new format of the birth register, an information leaflet was produced for the information of parents. The leaflet advised parents,inter alia, to give careful consideration to the surname to be assigned to the child, in order that the most appropriate surname be given to the child within the limits set out in the Act.