Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2006
555 Mr. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the implementation of the Civil Registration Act 2004, with particular reference to the creation of two non-statutory advisory committees which she gave a commitment to establish when the Act was commenced. [28167/06]
View answerI would like to refer the Deputy to my reply of 6th July 2006 to a similar query raised by the Deputy on this issue. Work is continuing to allow the outstanding provision of the Civil Registration Act 2004 to be commenced.
There have been no further developments concerning the creation of the two advisory committees and, as stated previously, it is intended to review the position in relation to the establishment of these committees once the General Register Office has transferred to the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
556 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Health and Children when the section regarding bigamy in the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act, 2005 will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28639/06]
View answerThe Civil Registration (Amendment) Act, 2005, does not relate to marriages and is concerned solely with payment of fees and allowances to registrars.
The Civil Registration Act, 2004, which contains provisions relating to marriage, does not contain any provisions concerning bigamy. The Act, however, does provide that correct information must be given to the Registrar of Marriages by the parties intending to marry. False information, including false information in relation to marital status, is an offence under Section 69 of the Act. This is currently covered in the Marriage Law (Ireland) Act, 1863 (26 Vic. Cap. 27), which will be repealed on commencement of Part 6 of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, which is expected to take place in the first half of 2007.
Bigamy has always been a specific offence and continues to be an offence under Section 57 of the Offences against the Person Act, 1861, which states that bigamy is committed when a person, who is a party to a valid subsisting marriage, goes through a ceremony of marriage with another.
