Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Contrary to what was said about me, I listen to everything said. Part 5 of the First Schedule sets out the required particulars to be registered in respect of a death. Having considered the views put forward by Senators on Committee Stage, I decided to bring forward my own amendment.

A key concern of the modernisation programme is to ensure that all deaths are registered. To address this, a new death registration form which combines the medical certificate of cause of death and a death registration form has been introduced. I am also conscious that the State should not place any additional burdens on a family or next of kin at the time of bereavement. That said, I recognise the importance of information to genealogists and family researchers at home and abroad. Having been convinced of the merits of including the forename or names and birth surnames of the parents of the deceased in the death register, I brought forward the amendment.