Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by Irish citizens in obtaining copies of their birth certificates from or in late registering their birth at the General Register Office in Dublin; if there is a dedicated staff member assigned with the office to deal with Irish-born emigrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27074/04]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The administration of the registration system for births, stillbirths, deaths and marriages is statutorily a matter for an tArd-Chláraitheoir or Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and for the superintendent registrars and registrars who operate under his general direction. An tArd-Chláraitheoir has advised me that there is a dedicated section within the General Register Office which deals with applications for birth certificates from Irish centres in Britain. I understand that all current applications from these centres have been dealt with and that there are no outstanding applications from the centres.

Where it is established that a birth has not been previously registered, it is possible to effect registration provided the information required by law to be registered is available, particularly information with regard to the date and place of birth. The authority of an t-Árd Chláraitheoir is required for the registration of a birth where more than 12 months has elapsed since the date of birth. A statutory declaration setting out the particulars to be registered is required. In addition, an t-Árd Chláraitheoir will seek some independent confirmation of details, as set out in the declaration. I understand the minimum information required to, be entered in the birth register is the prenames, commonly called Christian names, surname, date and exact place of birth, the parents' names, or at least the mother's name, and the marital status of the parents.

Authorisations for the late registration of births issue within four to six weeks from the date of application. The Deputy will appreciate that where incomplete details are submitted with the application, some delay is unavoidable.