Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is sensible legislation. From the experience of Covid, many things that were done in person can now be done online. We have speeded many things up. There was a point about the 19th century. I recall speaking to somebody who was waiting anxiously for the letter and cheque from the President for their mother's 100th birthday, because that woman's father had not come down from the mountain to register the birth in Macroom until about three months later. It was an anxious wait for the three months, because that was the date registered for the birth rather than the actual date of birth. Things have moved on.

I have two questions. One is a bit broader than the legislation. I will make a brief general point which is outside the scope of this legislation and Department. The issue of coroners requires further revision and updating. It affects a number of things. Families face delays in finding out what happened. I also believe some of the inconsistent approaches that can be adopted are affecting the quality of the information we have about suicides and things like that. That is beyond this Department but I wanted to say it when I had the opportunity.

The current system, as I understand it, is that registrars are employees of the HSE and the offices are run by the HSE, but the register is run by the Department. Is that correct? Is that a bit complicated and cumbersome? Is it desirable, going forward, to have this division of labour? How does it work in practice?

The other question I have is about head 13. What is a technical amendment can be a matter of debate. Could we get a bit more information on it? It refers to, "conflicting insertions of section 2(2)(g) relating to marriages and marriages of convenience into the Civil Registration Act". I do not know precisely what that means but it seems to me that could potentially have significant implications for an individual. Will the witnesses tell me a bit more about it?