Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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631. To ask the Minister for Health the rational behind the recent decision to increase the cost of death certificates; the projected net gain of this increase; and if allowances or exemptions are made for those who simply cannot afford to pay this fee. [23862/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Civil Registration Service is operated by the HSE on behalf of the General Registrar's Office under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection. The cost of this service is met from within the HSE's budget, with some income generated through the issuing of certificates for life events. However, this income does not meet the economic cost of running this service.

Given the serious nature of the HSE's finances it is not sustainable for the HSE to continue to run a service which is below its economic cost. Therefore, as part of a range of budgetary measures across the health services for 2013, a number of fee increases were introduced in the Civil Registration Service in January. Fees for registration of births and deaths had not been increased since 2005.

A sum of €5m was built into the National Service Plan as additional income accruing from this measure.