Vol. 513 No. 3
132 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department is endeavouring to secure a civil marriage certificate for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who was married in Rome and who provided all documentation requested by his Department to an official on 20 October 1999; the progress, if any, made in securing this certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2488/00]
The request that the Department of Foreign Affairs obtain a civil marriage certificate from Rome was first made in a telephone call by the person concerned to the Department on 4 March 1999 and was immediately passed on to the embassy in Rome. When a written reminder of 20 October 1999 was received in the Department, the embassy was told by telephone that the request was still outstanding and was asked again to act on it.
I regret to have to inform the Deputy that it was not until the matter was brought to the Department's and the embassy's attention again through his question that action was taken by the embassy. The embassy has contacted the parish in order to ascertain the date the marriage was registered in the civil register. That information is required by the Commune De Roma before they will issue a marriage certificate.
I will make every endeavour to see that the person concerned receives the certificate within ten days.
