Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Registration of Wills Bill amends the Civil Registration Act 2004 and provides a clear statutory basis for the registration of wills by extending the civil registration service. The register of wills shall be kept in the General Register Office, Government Offices, Convent Road, Roscommon, County Roscommon, further facilitating decentralisation to Roscommon. A study found that 70% of the population do not have a will. That is another interesting statistic.

We were progressing beautifully with this Bill and Fine Gael and other parties - even the Labour Party - were very supportive but when it came to the last time, for whatever reason, the previous Minister for Social Protection was not as enthusiastic about it. I know about the background to this and have some knowledge about what is going on in the General Register Office, although I will not say it publicly. It seems that it is reluctant to look outside the box.

I have faith in the Minister and I know that he takes a broad approach. All I want to see is the Bill going through Second Stage today. The Minister can fight every line of it on Committee Stage if he wants to and we will have good participation. That is how I like to see a Bill being progressed in this House. I am very committed to it, feel it has merits and am open to any amendments. Certainly, the Government side will express its views. I have tremendous colleagues in the House who will also give their input.