Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

There is still a confusion on the part of the Senator on what was decided in the Lower House. The section provides for the establishment of registers of births, stillbirths, adoptions and foreign adoptions, deaths, marriages, decrees of divorce and decrees of nullity of marriage. Sections 26 and 27 provide for the registration of certain births and stillbirths to Irish citizens domiciled outside the State where there is no system of registration of births or where copies of certificates cannot be obtained. These sections provide for the recording and registration of certain other births occurring outside the State.

I understand the purpose of the Senator's amendment is to mean that stillbirths should be treated in a similar manner to births. My view is that sections 26(2) and 27(6) meet the requirements of the amendment proposed by the Senator. In my view, what the Senator wants to establish has been established in sections 26(2) and 27(6). I do not disagree with the Senator but in my view, what the Senator wishes has been adequately covered by the amendment I accepted in the Lower House. It would serve no purpose to accept a further amendment.