Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will take up where I was previously regarding the issue of deaths of Irish people abroad. I covered some of the other areas.

The Bill I produced in 2012 covered some of the shortcomings experienced by a number of Irish families who had loved ones die abroad. Currently, the law does not permit the registration of such deaths abroad. I am glad to note this is being taken care of and that the obstacles which impeded the introduction of these important measures have been overcome, enabling the Ministers to proceed. It has been quite a while coming and I am delighted to see progress. As I alluded to, there was a "Help bring them home" campaign from Galway which was led by my colleague, Councillor Padraig Conneely, who led a delegation before the Joint Committee on Social Protection on this issue.

It is important the legal obstacles which impeded the introduction of these important measures have been overcome enabling the Ministers to proceed with this comprehensive Bill. Section 13 amends Part 5 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 and creates a new register of Irish deaths abroad through section 44B. Section 44C sets out the information an tArd-Chláraitheoir will require to register the death, while section 44D empowers an tArd-Chláraitheoir or an agent acting on behalf of his or her office to provide families, and even parents, siblings and partners, with the certificate reflecting the entry of the death on the Irish record of deaths abroad. Crucially, the Bill is retrospective in this regard. Families of Irish persons who have died abroad in the recent or distant past will be able to apply to have the death recorded on the new register of Irish deaths abroad and obtain an equivalent to an Irish death certificate.

I thank the Minister and the Department officials for their work on this area. It is an emotive issue for families who have suffered a bereavement abroad. Many parents and siblings of family members who have died abroad have been in contact with me stating that, for closure for them and their families, they want an Irish death certificate.

I am pleased the process is going through the Dáil and they will soon be able to receive the death certificate.

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