Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1047. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection if there have been changes to the way a person registers the death of a family member such as changes in an extension of the three month deadline or changes with walk-in offices if there must be an appointment during Covid-19 restrictions. [1916/22]
View answerThe requirements for registration of a death are set out in Part 5 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended. This Part sets out that it is the duty of a qualified informant to attend before any registrar to register a death within 3 months of the date of a person's death.
There have been no changes to this requirement. For the period that Civil Registration Offices were closed during 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19, registration of a death could be completed without the need for attendance by the qualified informant. Civil Registration Offices re-opened from 1st October 2021.
The HSE are responsible for the day-to-day delivery of Civil Registration Services and they have advised that a mixture of walk-in and appointment-based services are in operation at the 60 Civil Registration Offices located across the country.
I can advise the Deputy that a death can be registered at any Civil Registration Office. No penalties arise where a qualified informant is unable to comply with their duty to register a death within 3 months where there are reasonable grounds for non-compliance. This includes circumstances where there is no appointment available within 3 months.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
