Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2016
86. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 54 of 9 December 2015, when in 2016 she expects that marriages such as the one referred to in the question will be permitted to be held; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46850/15]
View answerThe Deputy’s question refers to provisions in the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 that make it more difficult to broker a marriage of convenience in the State. This is achieved by making a marriage of convenience an impediment to marriage and allowing a registrar the right to investigate where one or more of the parties to the proposed marriage is a non-EU national.
Following the commencement of these provisions in August 2015, industrial action by staff of the Civil Registration Service, delayed the scheduling of such interviews.
Responsibility for industrial relations issues in respect of the Civil Registration Service lies with the Health Service Executive and my colleague the Minister for Health.
I understand, however, that there are interim measures in place to allow such interviews to take place pending completion of the industrial relations process.
