Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
599. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the delays experienced by new parents when trying to register their children at the Dublin Civil Registration Office; and the reason parent’s leave requires a PPSN for the child when neither paternity nor maternity leave require a PPSN in order to apply. [52663/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has operational responsibility for civil registration. I am aware that there are on-going delays in the registration of births and deaths in the Eastern Registration Region as a results of the cyber-attack earlier this year. The HSE has indicated that there are no backlogs in other registration regions and that staff are working to clear the backlogs in the Eastern Registration Region as quickly as possible.
Maternity and paternity leave are available to parents (or expecting parents) and are both available to apply for in advance of the actual birth, hence there is no requirement for a child's PPSN. Parent's benefit provides payment in respect of up to 5 weeks leave to each working parent to be taken within 2 years of the birth. As this leave/benefit links directly to the child in respect of whom it is claimed there is a requirement to provide a PPSN when applying for the benefit.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
