Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2006
209 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the assistance which will be given by her Department to a person (details supplied) in County Cork whose birth was never registered and who requires their birth certificate to obtain a passport (details supplied). [23748/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn tArd-Chláraitheoir (Registrar General) is the person with statutory responsibility for the administration of the civil registration system. I have made enquiries with an tArd-Chláraitheoir and the position is as set out below. An tArd-Chláraitheoir maintains a national index of births, which is available in the offices of registrars of births, deaths and marriages around the country. Ideally, to search this index, the applicant should know the date and place of birth, forename of the person concerned and the parents' names. However, it may be possible to locate the relevant entry if only some of these details are available.
Where it is established that a birth has not been previously registered, it is possible, under the provisions of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, to effect registration, provided the particulars required by law to be registered are available. In cases where the parents or any other qualified informant with knowledge of the required particulars failed to register a birth within 12 months of the event, the consent of a Superintendent Registrar of births, deaths and marriages is required to effect registration. Where the parents are deceased, or are incapable of acting as qualified informants, or cannot be found, and where no other qualified informant with knowledge of the required particulars can be found, an tArd-Chláraitheoir may cause the birth to be registered on production of adequate evidence of the details of the birth.
I understand that the minimum information required to be entered in the birth register is the forename(s) and the surname, date and exact place of birth, the parents' names, or at least the mother's name, and the marital status of the parents.
In relation to the birth referred to by the Deputy, it cannot be ascertained from the details supplied which registrar was approached concerning this matter and whether the person concerned had sufficient information to locate an entry in the register or had adequate knowledge of the required particulars to effect a registration. As a first step, I suggest that the person concerned contact any registrar directly in writing, requesting to have the birth registered in accordance with Section 20 of the Civil Registration Act, 2004. A list of registrars' offices and contact details may be found at www.groireland.ie concerning this matter.
