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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Register Charges.

Nora Owen

Question:

618 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will consider waiving charges for old age pensioners when they seek to obtain information about their family background in the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the same way as such charges have been waived in the Valuation Office when senior citizens seek to do research in the archives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1479/01]

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

Searches in the indexes to the records of births, deaths and marriages maintained in the General Register Office may be made on the payment of the approved fees, in accordance with the provisions of section 70 of the Marriages Ireland Act, 1844, section 17 of the Registration of Marriages (Ireland) Act, 1863 and section 50 of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Ireland) Act, 1863. The current fees, including a fee, £12, for a general search, that is a search of the index for a period not exceeding six successive hours, without stating the object of the search. The fee for a particular search, that is, a search not exceeding five years for a particular entry is £1.50. The fee for a certified copy of an entry in the register (certificate), excluding the search fee, is £4. Certificates are required for certain legal purposes and to support applications for certain State services. However, to facilitate people involved in family research in the General Register Office provides photocopies of entries for a fee of £1.50. These copies contain all the information, which would be contained in a certificate, and are ideal for research purposes.
Issues such as the waiving of fees for old age pensioners will be considered in the context of the current review of the registration service, which is being undertaken to identify the changes necessary to provide a modern and effective service based on the electronic recording of events.
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