Kathleen Lynch
Ceist:89 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her legislative priorities for the current session of Dáil Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24210/03]
Written Answers. - Legislative Proposals.
I intend to bring forward a number of legislative initiatives over the coming months. Two Bills have been prioritised for progression in the current Dáil session, namely, the Social Welfare Bill 2003 and the Civil Registration Bill 2003.
The Social Welfare Bill 2003 will provide for the implementation of budget 2004 increases in social welfare payments and any other changes which would be scheduled to take effect from January 2004. It is my intention to introduce this Bill to the House in the first week in December.
The Civil Registration Bill 2003 was published in July last. The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of the civil registration service, an t-Seirbhís um Chlarú Sibhialta. This will entail the re-organisation and modernisation of the system of registration of births, stillbirths, adoptions, marriages and deaths. The Bill further provides for the extension of the system to decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity of marriage granted by the courts.
Civil registration provides both a record and evidence of vital events in relation to persons living in the State, and a basic continuous source of information about the population. It is estimated that, currently, approximately 110,000 life events – births, adoptions, etc. – are registered, some 500,000 certificates produced and 1.2 million searches and inquiries carried out each year.
The current system was established 150 years ago, and the registration procedures have remained largely unchanged, despite significant demographic changes and technological developments. The new system is part of a joint project between my Department and the Department of Health and Children to modernise and update the current system through the use of modern technology.