Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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191. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the authority under which the Registrar General acted to set aside the powers vested by legislation in the Supreme Court of the Land to appoint a Commissioner for Oaths to take any Affidavit, Affirmation, Statutory or other Declaration, Acknowledgment, Examination and Attestation, for the purposes of any Court in this Jurisdiction or for the Registration of any Instrument, when the Registrar General refuses to allow the Commissioner for Oaths to take a Solemn Declaration from both parties to a Civil Marriage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29325/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand that this refers to the question of having a commissioner for oaths entered in the register of solemnisers provided for under section 53 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, in order that they may solemnise marriages. Section 54 of the Act provides that a religious body, a secular body and the Health Service Executive (HSE) may be registered in the register of solemnisers for the purpose of legally solemnising marriages in the State. Last December I championed a significant change to the Civil Registration Act, 2004 which provided that secular bodies can now be included in the register of solemnisers of a marriage. This amendment to the Act was approved by the Oireachtas and is now being implemented. I made clear that in order to safeguard the institution of marriage any secular bodies that wish to apply to have one of its members solemnise a marriage must meet a number of criteria. The commissioners for oaths are not covered by this amendment and I have no plans to amend this aspect of the legislation.