Niamh Smyth
Question:1188. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33804/17]
View answerThursday, 13 July 2017
Questions (1188)
Written answers
The case referred to by the Deputy concerns the registration of a birth. The General Registry (GRO) comes within the remit of my Department. The Registrar General (An tÁrd Chlaraitheoir) has specific statutory functions in this regard. Responsibility for local registration services is assigned to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the administration of the system of civil registration in the State which is done through the Superintendent Registrars and Registrars each registration area.
I understand that in this case the position is as follows;
The birth in question occurred on 2 June 2017. Section 30 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, provides that the chief officer of the hospital or other institution in which a child is born shall notify the Superintendent Registrar of the occurrence of births in the hospital or institution. In this case, the notification was received by the Superintendent Registrar on 5 July 2017. Section 30 does not specify any time limit for the notification of births by a hospital. I understand that local registrar will shortly be in touch with the mother asking her to contact the office to make an appointment to attend at the registrar’s office to register the birth of her child.
In terms of providing financial assistance, the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme in my Department can make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure or an urgent needs payment (UNP) to people who would not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources where no alternative is available.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP or UNP should contact the Community Welfare Service of the Department at their local Intreo centre.