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

I am sure many Deputies are surprised we do not have such a register already. Deputy Mathews referred to the Land Registry where changes of house ownership get registered and one can access them. Of course there is an element of personal responsibility in terms of keeping a copy of one’s statutory declaration but, equally, we know that people can lose such a document and difficulties could arise if they cannot access it elsewhere.

Many of the examples to which we could refer where records are kept, be they birth certificates or whatever else, have taken a very long time for the system to develop. They have been in existence for decades and the systems relating to them have been developed and computerised. I need to scope out precisely what is involved. The legislation presents an opportunity for Deputies to raise this point and for us to acknowledge that a central register does not exist. We acknowledge the work of Treoir in particular in highlighting the matter. I am beginning to scope out this issue. If I can come up with any more information on the scoping exercise that is needed before the Seanad discusses the Bill, then I will do so. I agree with Deputy Mac Lochlainn that having access to the information is important, but I do not want it to become another barrier to couples getting statutory declarations to get guardianship.

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