Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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276. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether he intends to establish a register and baby loss certificates for parents who experience loss before 24-weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60882/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I first want to acknowledge the extremely difficult circumstances faced by families in this situation. The Civil Registration Act 2004 allows for the registration of a stillborn child and the production of a certificate from the Register of Stillbirths. The definition of a stillborn child was most recently amended by the Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Act 2024. The criteria for stillbirths is based on recommendations received from the Department of Health and the HSE. The new definition allows a child to be registered in the register of Stillbirths where the child has a gestational age of not less than 23 weeks. The Act also provides for additional criteria relating to stillbirths that are part of a multiple pregnancy.

The Deputy may be aware of a scheme in the UK, the 'Baby Loss Certificate' scheme which was introduced by the UK government as part of a response to an independent review, published in 2023, into early pregnancy loss. This is a commemorative certificate and is available upon request to parents who suffer an early loss pregnancy. The UK report recommends against establishing a formal system of registration as part of this process. The operation of the UK scheme is administered in the first instance at a hospital level, where the details of the pregnancy loss are recorded.

The introduction of a similar scheme in Ireland is largely a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health. However, I want to assure the Deputy that my Department would be available to meet with the Department of Health to assist in any way we can.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.