John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 567: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay of up to nine months, in issuing death certificates to bereaved families in the Limerick region; if measures are being taken to ensure that death certificates are being issued to families within a reasonable timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29842/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The administration of the civil registration system is statutorily a matter for an tArd-Chláraitheoir (Registrar-General) and for Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages who operate under his general direction. I have made enquiries of an tArd-Chláraitheoir and the position is set out as follows.

When a person dies, it is the duty of a relative of the deceased to act as qualified informant. This means that the relative must give to a registrar the information necessary to register the death, including a medical certificate of the cause of death (obtainable from the medical practitioner who attended the deceased within one month of the death), and sign the register of deaths.

In certain circumstances, a death is referred to the Coroner. There is a legal responsibility on doctors, registrars, undertakers, Gardai, hospitals and nursing homes to inform the Coroner where a death occurs suddenly or unexpectedly, or from a cause unknown, unclear or unnatural, or where the deceased was not seen or treated by a registered medical practitioner within one month prior to death.

In such cases, the Coroner may request a post-mortem examination. If the post-mortem shows that a death was due to natural causes, the Coroner may issue a certificate to the Registrar, who can then proceed to register the death and issue a death certificate. If the post-mortem shows that a death was due to unnatural causes, the Coroner may cause an inquest to be held. In such cases, the Registrar must await the outcome of the inquest and the issue by the Coroner of a coroner's certificate, before registering the death.

An tArd-Chláraitheoir has made enquiries regarding this matter and informs me that there is no particular reason for any possible delays in issuing death certificates in the Limerick area and that he is satisfied that deaths are being registered promptly once medical certificates of the cause of death and coroners certificates are received. In the case of coroners certificates, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the carrying out of the statutory procedures outlined often involves detailed examination of complex medical and legal matters that may take time to resolve.