Written answers

Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Department of Social Protection

Departmental Records

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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666. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if consideration is being given to make the historical records available in digitised format to members of the public; if she intends to expand powers and function in relation to original historical births, deaths and marriage records to the Department for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht along the lines of similar provision in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2013 with respect to indexes;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35537/13]

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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667. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the income derived from the searches made of historical records in the GRO research unit in Dublin for the years 2010; 2011 and 2012 and to date in 2013; the cost of running the service in each year; if the income from a fully digitised system has been considered by her Department and if so what are the findings; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that such a digitised system is due to go live in Northern Ireland later in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35538/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 667 together.

Provision has been made in the recent Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 to allow the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to act as agents for the Registrar General to provide access to the indexes of births, deaths and marriages online. The Department has been considering the issue of making certain historic civil registration records available to the public through an on-line search facility in conjunction with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and has met with a number of stakeholders with a view to introducing measures to allow this. I hope to introduce legislation to enable this facility shortly.

At present the General Register Office operates a research room in the Irish Life Mall, Dublin where the public can search indexes and request copies of certificates from the registers.

The income derived from the operation of, and the costs associated with, the research room for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (to date) are indicated in the following table:

YearIncome from Research RoomCost of Service
2010€327,408.00€387,689.36
2011€347,526.00€372,353.71
2102€329,480.00€351,901.25
2013 (to date)€161,816.00€189,152.15

The matter of providing for fees to be paid for access to indexes and records online is being considered at present.

The Department are considering making records available in a digitised format but, as yet, no conclusions have been made in this regard.

I am aware the General Records Office of Northern Ireland plan to provide an online facility to search indexes and historic records.

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