Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, and thank her for her comprehensive contribution.

The Fianna Fáil Party is supportive of the Bill in principle. This Bill is essentially the same as the Bill introduced in 2011 by Senator Bacik. I congratulate her on the work she put into it. It will allow groups, other than those who observe religious worship, to apply for licences to carry out weddings. As the Minister has already outlined under the current Civil Registration Act, the only people who can legally celebrate a marriage are either HSE registrars or members of a religious body, designated by the chief registrar. This Bill will allow the Minister for Social Protection to designate other non-religious grouping, such as the Humanist Association of Ireland and others to apply to local registrars for licences.

The Bill amends the Civil Registration Act 2004, which regulates the registration of civil marriages. The 2004 Act provides for the establishment of a register of solemnisers, those who can legally conduct marriages and make provision for a choice of venue for civil marriages. The category of people who may be registered as solemnisers is limited by section 54(1) of the 2004 Act, which provides that the HSE registrars and members of religious bodies are the only people who may celebrate legal marriages. Section 45 of the Act defines "religious body" as "an organised group of people members of which meet regularly for common religious worship."

The Bill seeks to address the anomaly that only HSE registrars or members of religious bodies may seek to be registered as solemnisers of marriage and it does this by inserting a new extended definition of "body" which the Minister has outlined in her speech.

As the Bill is essentially the same as the Bill presented by Senator Bacik, it is a pity it does not bear her name.

We wish the Bill a speedy passage.