Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 307: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way one registers to become a solemniser; the criteria for same; the person who administers this profession; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4855/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The administration of the Civil Registration Service is statutorily a matter for the Registrar General. I have made enquiries with the Registrar General and the position is as set out below.

Section 53 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 provides for the establishment of a Registrar of Solemnisers of Marriage which is to maintained by an t-Ard-Chláraitheoir (Registrar General)

Section 54 of this Act makes provisions for application to be made to the Registrar General for the purposes of having persons registered in the Register.

Section 54(1)(a) provides for application by the HSE on behalf of a Registrar whom it wishes to have registered for the purposes of solemnising civil marriages.

Section 54(1)(b) provides for application by a religious body who wishes to have one or more of its members registered for the purposes of solemnising marriage according to its own rites.

With regard to the application criteria, the Registrar General must be satisfied in the case of an application from a religious body that such a body is a religious body as defined in Section 45 of the Act. He must also be satisfied that each applicant body will include in its ceremony of marriage the declaration by the bride and groom that neither knows of no impediment to marrying the other and that they accept each other as husband and wife.

The legislation also provides that applicant bodies can only nominate persons who are aged 18 years or more.