Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State. While this is a short Bill, it is, nevertheless, important because until it is passed, the 2004 Act cannot be implemented. The legislation covers the registration of births, deaths, marriages, adoptions, divorces and civil annulments. Recently, my colleague, Senator Leyden, introduced a Private Members' Bill pertaining to wills, which is an important issue. Unless decisions are properly registered and the appropriate documentation used, significant difficulties could be created for people down the line. The Minister of State referred to private individuals who provide the registration service and who are not directly employed by the State and to the service provided by community welfare officers and general practitioners. These people are important and the legislation provides for them to paid. All registration staff, including private registrars, will be reappointed upon the commencement of the Civil Registration Act 2004.

The Minister of State referred to the background to the legislation, which, while short, has great potential, as it will be the engine of the 2004 legislation. Following legal advice submitted to the Attorney General, it was confirmed the only way to resolve the difficulties was to amend the 2004 Act. The transfer of the General Register Office to Roscommon is another example of the Government's success with its decentralisation programme. I welcome the legislation whose implications are tremendous. It will regularise a scenario, which should have been regularised a long time ago.