Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I welcome the fact that clarification is being sought from the Attorney General in these matters. The reality is that the current interpretation of where marriages and civil partnerships can take place is excessively restrictive. In the United Kingdom and the North, for instance, where essentially the same requirements apply, it has been possible to facilitate ceremonies at many suitable venues that are not restricted to permanent structures with four walls and a roof. It is possible to make small changes which will allow people a wider choice of venue. Even a minor amendment to allow for a statutory instrument to deal with this issue would be a significant step in the right direction. I hope the Minister for Social Protection will consider it.

Another problem people throughout the country are meeting in seeking to arrange marriages and civil partnerships is the shortage of registrars who can perform these ceremonies. While an increasing number of solemnisers from secular groups are available, the limited availability of civil registrars is causing great difficulty. As a consequence of these shortages, it is not possible to arrange ceremonies on Saturdays. This makes very little sense from a revenue-generating perspective because the fees and charges applying to civil marriages and partnerships more than cover the cost to the State. It would benefit everybody if we could facilitate the demand for Saturday ceremonies.

I hope there will be an opportunity to examine these issues and explore the possibility for changes that would allow people to get married and enter civil partnerships on days and in venues of their own choosing. I do not foresee there being any objections to open air weddings at Fort Camden or on Carlingford Lough. We can overcome the obstacles that have arisen if we want to, and I hope the will is there to do so.

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