Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 1

Written Answers - Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Nora Owen

Question:

105 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation concerning the review of the registration service; if the waiving of fees for old age pensioners when they seek to obtain information regarding their family background in the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13406/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

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.

These fees in respect of registration services are set out in statutory instruments, including S.I. No. 278 of 1987, which sets out the principal fees for the registration of events, the issue of certificates and searches in the indexes to the registration records maintained by An tÁrd Cláraitheoir. In particular and limited circumstances, a registrar may issue a certificate which is compiled from an entry in a register, in which amendments have been made, and the fees for such certificates are set out in S.I. No. 234 of 1987. A review of these fees is ongoing and the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in the context of the review of the registration service. The Deputy may be aware of the recent launch of a consultative document on the modernisation of the registration service which invites views from all interested persons. The deadline for submissions is 31 May 2001.