Mitchell welcomes proposed joint registration of parents on birth certificates

Fine Gael TD for Dublin South, Olivia Mitchell, has today welcomed Minister Joan Burton’s confirmation that birth certificates will soon have to include the identity of the father.

In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Mitchell, Minister Burton outlined her plans to implement the recommendation of the Law Reform Commission in relation to civil registration and to start that process by the end of the year.

“I’m very pleased with the Minister’s response to my parliamentary question and I really believe that this reform will benefit mothers, fathers and, most importantly, children.

“A child is entitled to as much information as possible about his/her parents and that has to be the main consideration. Until now, it has been feared by mothers that declaring the father’s name would have implications for their social welfare payments. In other countries, where disclosure is mandatory, it is only refusal to name the father that has social welfare implications. The exception to this of course is where that information is not known by the mother or where it would not be in the child’s interest or would pose a danger to the mother to disclose such information.

“Compulsory joint registration of birth does of course facilitate requiring a father to take responsibility for the maintenance of the child and related rights in respect of guardianship. However the issue of responsibility and guardianship is something that can and should be considered separately from the registration of the father’s name.”