Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)
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92. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the qualifications for the registration of a death (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19527/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand that the Registrar General has no knowledge of this specific case. The provisions for the registration of a death are set out in Part 5 of the Civil Registration Act 2004. Under these provisions, where a death occurs, a registered medical practitioner must provide a relative of the deceased with a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death; the relative then brings the certificate to a registrar, provides the registrar with any additional particulars required to register the death and then signs the entry in the register of deaths. Where no Medical Certificate can be obtained, or where a death occurs in certain circumstances, the matter is referred to a Coroner, who will, following necessary enquiries, arrange for the registration of the death.

The provisions for the registration of births and stillbirths are set out in Part 3 of the Act. The registration of stillbirths is a voluntary option for parents and the stillbirth may be registered provided that the child, at birth, weighed not less than 500 grammes or had a gestational age of not less than 24 weeks and showed no sign of life. Qualifications such as weight and gestational age apply only in the case of stillbirths and do not apply in the registration of births or infant deaths. The person (details supplied) should contact their local registrar (contact details available via ) who will be able to assist with information pertaining to the registration of births, deaths and stillbirths, as applicable in this particular case.