Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - General Register Office.

Alan Shatter

Question:

448 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of children in each of the years from 1990 to 1999 whose births have been re-registered as a consequence of the children being legitimised following their parents marrying each other; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that prior to the coming into operation of the Registration of Births Act, 1996, birth certificates could be amended, where a legitimisation and a subsequent re-registration took place, to enable the child adopt the surname of his or her father if the parents so wished; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that since the coming into operation of the 1996 Act, this is no longer possible; and the plans he has to change the law in this regard. [24023/00]

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

The number of authorities issued by An tArd -Chláraitheoir for the re-registration of births, under the provisions of the Legitimacy Act 1931, between the years 1990 to 1990 were as follows:

Year

Authorities issued

1990

1022

1991

1038

1992

1002

1993

1040

1994

949

1995

957

1996

875

1997

589

1998

878

1999

921

Prior to the introduction of the Registration of Births Act, 1996, the particulars required by law to be recorded in a register of births did not include a particular surname for a child. Accordingly, when a certified copy of the entry in the register of births was issued in respect of a child whose birth had been re-registered under the provisions of the Legitimacy Act, 1931, it stated,inter alia, the forename of the child, the name and surname of the father, the name, surname and maiden surname of the mother.
The schedule of the Registration of Births Act, 1996, set out the particulars to be registered in respect of the birth of a child, registered on or after 1 October 1997, and these include a forename(s) and surname for a child. Where a surname assigned to a child is recorded in the register of births, that surname is included in any certificate issued in respect of that entry. Section 1(4) of the Act provides where the birth of a child is being re-registered, after the commencement of the Act, and the birth has previously been registered so as to record a surname of the child, the surname to be recorded for the child on re-registration is that which appeared in the original entry.
The future development of the registration service is being considered in the context of the joint initiative being undertaken by my Department and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs to identify and implement the changes necessary to provide a modern and effective service based on the electronic recording of vital events. The review encompasses the structure of registration on a national basis as well as the Acts relating to the registration of vital events. As part of the review process, it is planned to publish a consultation document in December 2000 on the future development of the registration service and to obtain the views of all interested parties. The issue raised by the Deputy will be considered in the context of the review of the legislation.
Top
Share