Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----online access to the indexes to births, deaths and marriages is in the process of being finalised through my Department's website www.irishgenealogy.ie. The provision of such access is a joint project between the Department of Social Protection, the General Register Office and my Department. I understand from my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, that the online availability of historical registry data is now provided for in section 27 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014. The Act was signed by the President on 4 December and I understand that it will be subject to a commencement order in early 2015. Section 27 amends section 61 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 and provides for public access, via , to register entries in respect of births more than 100 years ago, marriages more than 75 years ago, and deaths more than 50 years ago. Currently, a member of the public cannot search the registers online. Instead, users may apply to the Registrar General, a superintendent registrar, a registrar or an authorised officer to search the registers on their behalf. The new provisions in the 2014 Act will allow a member of the public to directly search these historical registers, via online access, for the first time. The date restrictions are in line with international practice as regards what historic records are available online, and also reflect the current position in Northern Ireland.

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