Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 1

Written Answers. - Registration of Births.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

159 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the manner in which child birth records are detailed; the medical information which is recorded; where such records are stored; the back-up or support material that is stored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5969/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I understand that the Deputy may be referring to the procedure for the civil registration of a birth. The administration of the registration system is a matter for An tÁrd-Chláraitheoir, the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and for local registrars who operate under his general direction. The facts required to be recorded in the register of births are determined principally by the Births and Deaths Registration (Ireland) Act, 1863, as amended by the Registration of Births Act, 1996 (No. 36 of 1966) and the particulars to be entered in the birth register are set out in the Schedule to the latter Act. The details required to be registered in respect of the child include date and place of birth, sex, forename(s) and surname. In addition, the mother's and father's forename, surname, address and occupation are registered. Births are registered in the districts in which they occur.

The manuscript registers are retained by the local registrar of births, deaths and marriages until they are full. They are then forwarded to the superintendent registrar of births, deaths and marriages and are retained at that office. In addition, at the end of each quarter each registrar makes a certified copy of each birth registered in the previous three months and these are forwarded to the An tÁrd Chláraitheoir, together with copies of deaths and marriages. These returns are used for the compilation of the national index of births, deaths and marriages. Once processed the copies of the birth, death and marriage entries are held on microfilm in the general register office with the exception of some recent years.

The Deputy will be aware of the special project for the capture of the records of births, deaths and marriages and associated indexes in an electronic format which has been ongoing in Roscommon for some time. The paper copies of the quarterly returns of births, deaths and marriages are held in the office in Roscommon and are being scanned onto an electronic database. The associated indexes are also being converted to an electronic format. Copies of returns made for recent years referred to above are being scanned directly onto the electronic database. The Deputy will appreciate that this project will improve the efficiency, flexibility access and management of the records and the associated indexes. The Deputy may also be aware of the associated project for the direct electronic registration of births, deaths and marriages. It is anticipated that the direct electronic registration of births will commence later this year.