Civil Registrations.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2009

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Questions (28)

Alan Shatter

Question:

44 Deputy Alan Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive sought sanction from her to establish an on-line service to provide certificates of births, deaths and marriages; the position with regard to the HSE providing such service; the amount of expenditure incurred to date by it with regard to the provision of such service; the breakdown of such expenditure; the projected final cost to the HSE of the provision of such service; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that such a service exists and has been in operation since in or about 2004 and operates from a dedicated and professional customer service centre based in Dunboyne, County Meath and was established by a private entrepreneur (details supplied) with financial aid through the Meath Enterprise Board; if she will justify the expenditure by the HSE on the provision of a service already provided through private enterprise; and the reason the HSE has not entered into some form of public private partnership with the existing service. [26199/09]

Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

The General Register Office of the Department of Social and Family Affairs has overall responsibility for the Civil Registration Service. Day to day services including the registration and production of certificates for births, deaths and marriages are provided nationally through local Health Service Executive offices. At present members of the public can purchase certificates either in person, by telephone or by post. The majority of business is conducted in person at local offices.

As part of the ongoing development of its services, the HSE has identified a range of services which are suitable for online delivery, including the facility to order birth, death and marriage certificates. This facility is due to be launched in the coming months. It has been developed primarily through the use of existing resources: the total cost of external service providers is expected to be less than €10,000. The service will allow members of the public to order and pay for certificates online. There will be no additional charge for this online service.

I understand that a private company currently offers a service, using the normal civil registration facilities, which involves them accessing, purchasing and providing certificates to their clients for which they charge an additional service fee.