Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

Until this process started, the straight answer to that question is "No, they were not". When the guidelines were being put in place I created a link between the register of births and deaths and each council office. Now when a registration form indicating a person is dead is received in the central office in Dublin, an automatic electronic list is passed to each council indicating a Mr. X or Mrs. X died in a council area. Council staff will then use that information to delete the name from the register. They will have the name, address and the date of birth of the person, which will allow them to automatically correct the register by deleting that person's name. It is extraordinary that was not done previously. This development is a positive outcome to this process.