The statutory basis for the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages are the Registration Acts of 1845 (Non Roman Catholic Marriages) and 1864 for Births, Deaths and Roman Catholic Marriages.

A Civil Registration Modernisation Programme jointly undertaken by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the Department of Health and Children commenced in 1996 and is currently at pilot stage in a number of Health Board areas. The Modernisation Programme will develop and implement an improved Civil Registration Service supported by a modern body of legislation, use of modern technology, improved customer service and an improved legal and administrative framework.

Births
The Registration of Births Act 1996 applies to all births registered on or after October 1997. Under current legislation a birth will be registered in the district where the birth takes place. The mother and father of a child are the primary qualified informants in respect of their children's birth but if the parents do not act, a designated member of the hospital staff in which the birth took place or any person present at the birth or any person who has charge of the child may also act as qualified informants. A leaflet "Information for Parents on the registration of a birth and a guide to the content of a Birth Certificate" is available from the General Register Office, Joyce House, Lombard Street East, Dublin 2 or from your local Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. A list of the local Registrars for the NEHB Region is available at the end of this page.

Deaths
The nearest relative present at death, or in some cases, the hospital should act as informant to the office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in whose district the death occurs unless the death is the subject of a Coroners Inquest in which case the Coroner acts as qualified informant. The informant must produce to the Registrar a medical certificate of the cause of death signed by a registered medical practitioner.

Marriages
Under the Family Law Act, 1995, it is obligatory to give the Registrar three months notice of intention to marry. The High Court or Circuit Family Court under Section 33 of the Act may grant an exemption to the requirement. From August 1996 the minimum age at which a person, ordinarily resident in the State, may contract a marriage valid in Irish law is eighteen years of age whether the marriage takes place in Ireland or elsewhere.

Civil Marriages
For Civil Marriages or marriages according to the rites and ceremonies of any denomination other than Roman Catholic, the appropriate Registrar is the Registrar of Civil Marriages for the District in which the marriage will be solemnised. If you have any difficulty in determining the identity of the appropriate Registrar you should contact you local Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office in your local Health Board (see NEHB list at the bottom of this page). A leaflet entitled "Information leaflet on the solemnisation (celebration) and registration of a valid marriage in Ireland" is available from the General Register Office, Joyce House, Lombard Street East, Dublin 2 or from the local Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in your local Health Board area (see list at the end of this page). This leaflet outlines the procedures for marriages by Civil ceremony and marriages by Religious ceremony.

Registration of Roman Catholic Marriages
In the case of Roman Catholic Marriages a statutory form of marriage is sent to the Registrar. This document is signed by both husband and wife, by two witnesses and by the celebrant. For all other marriages, the marriage is registered at the time the ceremony takes place.

Stillbirths
Either parent may register a stillbirth occurring on or after January 1995 at the office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages within three months of the birth. A stillbirth which occurred before January 1995 may also be registered. A Stillbirth Certificate may be obtained at the time of registration. An information leaflet on the Registration of Stillbirths is available from the General Register Office Joyce House, Lombard Street East, Dublin 2 or from your local Registrar of Birth, Deaths and Marriages in your local Health Board area. See list of local Registrars at the end of this page.

Certificates of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Certificates of Births, Deaths and Roman Catholic Marriages may be obtained (fee payable) from the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages of the district in which the event took place and also from the General Register Office, Joyce House, Lombard Street East, Dublin 2. Certificates of Non-Roman Catholic Marriages may be obtained from the General Register Office, Joyce House, Lombard Street East, Dublin 2 or the local Registrar of (Civil) Marriages in the case of Civil Marriages (fee payable).

Access to Service/Contact Names
To obtain further details of services available please contact your local Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration office as appropriate:

Cavan
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Gate Lodge, Lisdaran, Cavan.
Tel: 049 4373272/4371709. Fax: 049 4371709.

Monaghan
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Monaghan Local Health Care Unit, Rooskey, Monaghan. Tel: 047 30444.

Louth
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Dublin Road, Dundalk.
Tel: 042 9331194. Fax: 042 9333814.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Peter Street, Drogheda.
Tel: 041 9838605. Fax: 041 9842549.

Meath
Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, County Infirmary, Navan.
Tel: 046 9023209. Fax: 046 9072258.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Town Hall, Trim.
Tel: 046 9431512.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Castle View, Oldcastle.
Tel: 049 8541340.

Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office, Local Health Care Unit, Dunshaughlin.
Tel: 01 8024100. (On Tuesdays only).