Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will give a brief supplementary reply. As the Deputy has rightly pointed out, there are stories of parents in similar situations and this needs to be dealt with. This is complex and there are technical issues involved. It is important to get this right to ensure that there are no problems afterwards, that it is good legislation, and that the technical difficulties, including both parents being recognised not only when they are a father and mother, are dealt with. These are harrowing stories. We know that other couples all over the country have similar stories. By raising this issue in the Chamber this afternoon, the Deputy has highlighted the issue again and has put it on the record of the Dáil. Through my work as Minister of State in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I will certainly ensure that the officials from the General Register Office, GRO, my Department, and the Department of Health will ensure that the appropriate legislative, regulatory and operational mechanisms are put into place as quickly as possible. We are at the end of the year now, but I hope this will be done in 2019. I cannot give the Deputy a date but I can emphasise the urgency of the issue raised by her both to Ministers and the GRO. I know where she is coming from.

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