I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.
Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Committee Stage
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the opportunity to bring the Bill to Committee Stage. I thank members of the committee for engaging in pre-legislative scrutiny and for the committee's report, which has been extremely useful.
The Bill will enhance the civil registration process in the State. It will provide the opportunity for bereaved parents to register a birth, death or stillbirth online, update the criteria for stillbirths to reflect modern clinical advances and, for the first time, introduce a system of electronic notification of death. The new online registration service will be available to persons who have an authenticated SAFE identity and verified mygov.ie. account. The existing service provided in local registration offices by the HSE, as recommended by the committee, will be retained for those persons who wish to avail of this channel for registration. The online process will not only provide a more convenient method of registration for some, it will also allow the service to operate if registration offices are not accessible for physical attendances as occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A high-level working group, which incorporates officials from the Departments of Health and Social Protection and the HSE, continues to work together to ensure that the systems developed are necessary to facilitate the electronic notification of death and birth as set out in the Bill are progressed in conjunction with the progress of the legislation. I will ensure that this high-level working group also considers the recommendations aimed at supporting bereaved persons made by the committee.
Some of those recommendations fall outside the scope of the Bill. They highlight the need to ensure that the registration of deaths should be carried out in a sympathetic matter, with any support the State can provide to bereaved families. The Bill offers a measure of comfort to bereaved families in facilitating the issuing of an interim death certificate in cases where the death of a loved one is awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the coroner.
The committee's recommendation on investing in a tell-us-once approach will be assisted with the notification of deaths by the HSE and other healthcare providers to the General Register Office, GRO. It provides death registration data to the Office of Government Chief Information Officer and it is hoped that the proposed death notification system and online registration system will assist in the development of an appropriate whole-of-government response on this issue.
Regarding the committee’s recommendation for stillbirth registration, the Bill proposes a reduction in the criteria for assigning stillborn status in line with advances in clinical care. I assure the committee that future recommendations from the Minister for Heath in this area will be examined by my Department with a view to reflecting proposed changes in the legislation. Access to the register of stillbirths will be broadened to additional family members and a record of stillbirths, to allow those families who wish to allow public access to the details of their stillborn child, will be created. The provision will ensure open access to some records, while also recognising and respecting the wishes of those parents who wish to retain the private status of their child’s record in the register of stillbirths.
There are other provisions in the Bill which will allow registrations in the online environment to be recognised in the same manner as existing in-person registrations. This will facilitate the civil registration service to use the legislation around corrections, amendments, cancellations, investigations and printing of certificates for in-person and online registrations. Other amendments will assist the GRO in the operation of the civil registration service and facilitate the commencement of section 6 of the 2014 Civil Registration (Amendment) Act.
As I have set out, this Bill proposes major changes to how life events are registered in the State and provides important provisions that can have a positive effect on those who have suffered the pain of a stillbirth and those who must register the death of a loved one. It proposes to use technology to improve the process of registering life events and to bring the system of civil registration into the modern era. On Report Stage, we may bring forward a minor technical amendment, but for now I look forward to hearing the views of the committee and working with it to progress this important legislation.
Sections 1 to 24, inclusive, agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment.
I thank members for their work on pre-legislative scrutiny and their co-operation today. I would also like to acknowledge the work of the staff on the Bill. It is important legislation to progress the civil registration service in the State and I am very pleased we have been able to bring it through Committee Stage. I look forward to Report Stage. I believe the changes proposed in the Bill will make a positive difference to many of our citizens and enhance their interactions with the registration service. I again thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and committee for their work and contribution to the Bill.
I thank the Minister of State and his officials for assisting the committee with its consideration of the Bill.