Colm Burke
Question:642. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to entitling qualified civil celebrants to solemnise weddings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21362/21]
View answerWednesday, 28 April 2021
Questions (642, 643)
Colm Burke
Question:643. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if those qualified as civil celebrants will be entitled to solemnise weddings in view of the fact that many marriage registrars are only available Monday to Friday; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21363/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 642 and 643 together.
A person must be a registered Solemniser in order that they can solemnise a legally valid marriage in Ireland. To become a registered Solemniser a person must have an application made on their behalf, by an authorised body, to have that person added to the Register of Solemnisers. Section 45 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 defines the bodies that are permitted to apply to have persons added to the Register of Solemnisers.
This section was amended by section 2 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2012 (CRAA 2012), to allow a secular body to make such an application. The full list of bodies that are permitted to make an application are: the Health Service Executive, a religious body, or a secular body. There are no plans at present to extend the Register of Solemnisers to include persons who are not a member of the aforementioned bodies.