Vol. 503 No. 2
183 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Health and Children the average time span for the issue of death certificates in the Western Health Board area; the procedures adopted for the issue of death certificates in this area; and the number of staff involved. [9515/99]
The administration of the registration system is a matter for An tArd-Chláraitheoir (registrars-general) of births, deaths and marriages and for local registrars who operate under his general direction.
There are 60 registrars' districts in the superintendence of the Western Health Board. In a number of areas, where small volumes of registration are involved, the same person has been appointed registrar to a number of adjoining districts. Consequently, there are 41 persons holding the office of registrar in the health board area. In addition to persons appointed as registrars, there are eight authorised officers employed in the registration service. A registrar is required under the Registration Acts to inform him/herself of every registerable event, including deaths, which occurs in his/her district and to register same, Copies of the entries in the register (certificates) are immediately available from the registrar at the time of registration. Thereafter, certificates may be obtained from either the registrar, while he has custody of the register, or from the superintendent registrar, after the filled register has been handed over to his custody. Certificates may be applied for by personal attendance at the office of the registrar, or superintendent registrar in which case copies of events registered are immediately available, and applications may be made by post. Because of the different modes of application and the number of offices involved it is difficult to attribute a meaningful average time span to the actual issue of certificates. However, if the Deputy has a particular situation in mind, he might communicate with An tArd-Chláraitheoir who would be pleased to investigate the circumstances.
