Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The section provides for the registration of decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity of marriage granted in the State. Currently, each court holds its own records of decree of divorce and civil nullity of marriage. There is no central database or repository of decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity within the court system. Persons wishing to remarry, following the granting of such decrees, must provide a copy of the decree to the registrar from the relevant court. The Courts Service will act as the registrar and these are considered a vital event as they have serious legal and social implications for the status of individuals. The provision will facilitate persons granted a divorce in the State who wish to remarry.

The civil registration service, except in specific cases of births and deaths, records vital events occurring to the person within the State. It is not the purpose of the civil registration service to record vital events occurring in foreign jurisdictions. The provision to record all decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity granted by the courts will provide a complete record of all such events from a future date. To include a provision that allows parties to such decrees in the past to apply to the Courts Service for the decrees to be entered in the register would mean the register would not be a complete record of these events from a certain date. In the circumstances, it is not appropriate to accept the amendment.