Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I raise the question of the need for the Minister for Health and Children to indicate whether the function of the interim registrars who register births, marriages and deaths, especially in the Western Health Board area, will continue to operate in the future. If not, will the Minister outline the redundancy package offered to them?

This is a vexed question for members of the community who have offered a sterling service registering births, marriages and deaths. This method of registration is prevalent in the Western Health Board area, particularly in my county. Private registrars have entered into this arrangement with enthusiasm and have done their work in a professional manner and at a very low cost to the health board and to the Government. Private registrars can register a birth or death for less than 50 cent, before tax.

The future position of these registrars is not secure. They want to know if their position will continue into the future. They are more than willing to continue to offer this very worthwhile service. If not, they want to know what redundancy package the health board or the Department will offer. These questions have been asked many times in the Dáil and Seanad. I hope the Minister of State will not give the same vague answer which has been given so often in recent years. I hope he has something worthwhile to offer which will appease these people, who want to work for the State but who want to know what remuneration package the Government has put in place for them. I hope the Minister of State will give me good news which I can bring back to my constituency.