James Carroll (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his response. As stated in the Minister's reply, the country is divided into eight regions, each region equating to an area covered by the former health boards. The Minister will be aware the north east has in recent years exploded in terms of population. We need to examine this issue in terms of increasing the number of civil registrars in the area. As the Minister stated, there will always be resource limitations, in particular given current affairs. However, we must accept the reality in terms of where the population is leaning. The CSO figures extrapolate where we are going. There is a growing demand for civil marriages and as such this issue requires serious consideration. I hope the Minister will bring the matter to the attention of the HSE. I will make every effort to bring it to the attention of the HSE in the north east.