Who can register a birth in the Republic of Ireland

How to register a birth in the Republic of Ireland

Who can register a birth in the Republic of Ireland

The mother and father of a child are the primary qualified
informants and, where possible, are encouraged to attend personally
for the registration of birth.

Where the parents do not act, the following persons may also act as
qualified informants:

  • A designated member of the staff of the hospital where the birth
    took place
  • Any person present at the birth
  • Any person who has charge of the child.

While many births are registered by the Occupier of the Hospital in
which the birth takes place, it is the responsibility of parents to
ensure that the information recorded in the Birth Register in respect
of their child is correct and accurate. Special care should be taken
to ensure that the Birth Notification Form, known as a “Form
101″, is completed as accurately as possible taking care to
ensure that all spellings are correct etc. This form is completed
prior to the discharge of the mother from hospital or by the mother’s
medical attendant following a birth. If parents wish to personally
register the birth of their child they should inform hospital
authorities and indicate their intention on the birth registration
form.

Registering a birth if the parents aren’t married to each other

Where a child is born to parents who are not married to each other the
birth may be registered so as to record the details of the child’s
father of how you may do so is outlined in the following paragraphs.

The father’s surname can only be entered as the baby’s surname
if the father’s details are also included. Once a surname has been
entered it can’t be changed later even if the birth is
re-registered.

There are a number of options available for registering the birth of a
child born to parents who are not married to each other, to include
the father’s details, which are outlined in the following paragraphs.
All of the forms referred to in this section may be obtained from the
Registrar of Births.

Where the mother is single. ie. has never been married:

  • At the joint request of the father and mother. In this case,
    both parents will be required to attend together at the Office of
    the Registrar to sign the Register of Births.
  • At the request of the mother on production of a declaration by
    her naming the father. This form (S.C. 1) must be accompanied by a
    Statutory Declaration by the father acknowledging paternity (Form
    S.C. 3). In this case, the mother will be required to attend at
    the Office of the Registrar to sign the Register of Births.
  • At the request of the father on production of a declaration by
    him acknowledging paternity. This form (S.C. 2) must be
    accompanied by a Statutory Declaration by the mother naming the
    father (Form S.C. 4). In this case, the father will be required to
    attend at the Office of the Registrar to sign the Register of
    Births.
  • At the written request of the mother (Form S.C. 5 completed), or
    the father (Form S.C. 6 completed), on production of a certified
    copy of any court order issued by the District, or Circuit Court
    regarding guardianship or maintenance, or under the Social Welfare
    (Consolidation) Act 1993 naming him as the father of the child. In
    this case, the mother (if S.C. 5 used), or father (if S.C 6 used)
    will be required to attend at the Office of the Registrar to sign
    the Register of Births. Please ensure all parties are named fully
    and correctly on the court order.

Where the mother is married to someone other than the father.

Where the mother of the child has been married (either at the time
of the birth or at sometime during the period of ten months before the
birth) to someone other than the father of the child, the forms to
register the birth should be accompanied by:

  • A Statutory Declaration from the mother’s husband stating that
    he is not the father of the child (Form SC7) or
  • A Statutory Declaration by the mother stating that she has been
    living apart from her husband under a legal separation, or a deed
    of separation for more than ten months immediately preceding the
    birth (Form SC8). This form should be accompanied by the divorce
    decree or deed of separation as appropriate.

Where the mother was married but her marriage ended more than ten
months prior to the birth .

  • Where a mother was widowed or obtained an Irish Divorce more
    than ten months prior to the birth of her child, then the birth
    may be registered under any of the options as long as the mother
    can provide the Registrar with her late husband’s death
    certificate or a certified copy of her Irish Divorce Decree, as
    appropriate.
    A court order naming the child’s father, as set out at option may
    also be used.
  • Where a mother obtained a foreign (i.e. non-Irish) divorce more
    than ten months prior to the birth of her child, it will be
    necessary to show that the divorce is entitled to recognition in
    the State before a registration may be effected. Enquiries should
    be made with the Registrar of Births with regard to this matter.

In all cases, the surname of the child recorded in the Register of
Births must either be the surname of the father of the mother or of
both (as shown in the register) or any other surname that is requested
by the parents and An tÁrd Chláraitheoir (the Register-General) is
satisfied the circumstances so warrant the entry of this surname. The
surname of a child may be recorded subject to any necessary linguistic
modifications. If parents wish their child to have a surname other
that their own entered in the Register of Births an application in
writing must be made to the Register-General. Enquiries on how such
applications are made should be directed to the appropriate Registrar
of Births.

What will be recorded?

  • The date and place of the birth of the child.
  • The gender of the Child.
  • The forename(s) and surname of the child registered.
  • The forename(s) and surname of the mother which will be the name
    by which the mother is/was ordinarily known at the time of the
    birth. All previously used surnames of the mother (if any) will be
    included in the Register.
  • The address and occupation of the mother, described as
    accurately as possible, are entered in the Register. Where a
    parent is not currently employed outside the home the most
    recently held previous occupation should be given. The term
    “unemployed” should not be entered in the Register of
    Births.
  • The forename(s) and surname of the father, all previous surnames
    (if any) of the father, his address and occupation will be
    recorded in the Register in a similar manner to the details of the
    mother.

If a forename was not given to the child at registration it may be
added at a later date and contact should be made with the Registrar of
Births for the district in which the birth was registered who will
advise you as to the procedure to follow.

The Birth Registration form (RBA1) should be completed by parent(s)
before leaving hospital and left with hospital staff. This form does
not, of itself, register your child’s birth but gives you the
opportunity to provide the Registrar of Births with complete and
accurate facts concerning your child’s birth.

Where will it be recorded?

A birth is registered in the registration district in which the birth
has taken place. The district in which the birth is registered is
determined by the location of the birth, i.e. the district in which
the hospital or other building in which the birth took place is
situated. The staff of the hospital in which the birth of your child
may have taken place or your local Health Centre will be able to
identify for you who the appropriate Registrar of Births is for any
given place of birth.

There are two forms of a birth Certificate, a short and a long
form. It should be noted that the long form Certificate will be
required for most legal and administrative purposes.

Re-registering a birth

The re-registration of a birth may be effected in either of the
following two circumstances:

  • Where the parents of a child who are not married to each other
    wish to have the father’s details included where these details
    were NOT registered initially or;
  • In certain cases where the parents of the a child marry each
    other after the birth of their child;

Enquiries should be made directly with the Registrar of Births,
Deaths & Marriages for the district in which the birth in question
took place. The Registrar will advise you as to what documents and
information will be required. It will be necessary for the Registrar
to refer the relevant papers to the Registrar-General for the
appropriate authority to be issued providing for the re-registration.
Where a birth is re-registered the initial entry will be noted and all
Certificates will then be written from the new entry. Where a surname
has been recorded in the original entry the same surname will appear
in the “new” or “second” entry.

Information from General Register Office of Ireland

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