Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To clarify, that is precisely the situation. Quite a number of Deputies and organisations working in this area have spoken about the need for better information to be available to fathers, for example, in maternity hospitals and when the mother is registering the birth, and that there should be information leaflets available advertising such information and very obvious things. There is clearly an information deficit in this area. The provisions are obviously responding to those suggestions.

I have also had some contact with the Department of Social Protection which is supportive of this provision. The provision is not by any means saying there is automatic guardianship for non-marital fathers. It simply takes an initiative in this area that will ensure that more fathers would be aware of the statutory declaration. It also makes it easier for them at the point where they could do so, when the family or mother and father are registering the birth of the child.