Stillbirths Registration Act, 1994
Acts of the Oireachtas
Source: Acts of the Oireachtas

num: 1
paragraphs: —This Act applies in relation to a child born weighing 500 grammes or more or having a gestational age of 24 weeks or more who shows no sign of life.
num: 2
paragraphs: —In this Act—
“commencement date” means the day appointed under section 13 (3) of this Act to be the day on which this Act comes into operation;
“the Minister” means the Minister for Equality and Law Reform;
“the registrar” means the registrar of a district under the Births and Deaths Registration Acts, 1863 to 1987, as extended by this Act, and “register” shall be construed accordingly;
“stillbirth” means a birth in relation to which section 1 of this Act applies and “stillborn” shall be construed accordingly.
num: 3
paragraphs: —(1) The functions of an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir, superintendent-registrars and registrars under the Births and Deaths Registration Acts, 1863 to 1987, shall include the registration of stillbirths.
(2) An tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir may give such directions to superintendent-registrars and registrars concerning the registration of stillbirths and require them to carry out such duties as are necessary to give effect to this Act.
num: 4
paragraphs: —Each registrar shall establish and maintain a register to be known as the register of stillbirths, in this Act referred to as “the register”.
num: 5
paragraphs: —Section 7 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Ireland), 1880, as amended by section 49 of the Status of Children Act, 1987 , shall apply to stillbirths as to live births.
num: 6
paragraphs: —(1) The mother or the father of a stillborn child may, within forty-two days after the birth, give the registrar of the district in which the stillbirth occurred the information specified in this section (“the required particulars”) and sign the register in the presence of the registrar, and the registrar shall register the stillbirth accordingly and sign the register.
num: 7
paragraphs: —(1) This section applies to stillbirths occurring before the commencement date.
(2) The mother or father of a stillborn child to which this section applies may give the registrar of the district in which the stillbirth occurred the information specified in this section (“the required particulars”) and sign the register in the presence of the registrar, and the registrar shall register the stillbirth accordingly and sign the register.
num: 8
paragraphs: —(1) Entries in a stillbirths register shall be forwarded by the registrar to the appropriate superintendent-registrar and by the superintendent-registrar to an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir from time to time as an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir may direct.
(2) Where an entry in a stillbirths register is forwarded by a registrar to a superintendent-registrar, or by a superintendent-registrar to an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir, no copy of that entry shall be retained by the registrar or by the superintendent-registrar.
(3) No person, other than an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir, shall be entitled to search a register save only in the exercise of functions conferred on any such person by this Act.
(4) A certified copy of an entry in a register shall be provided, only in the following circumstances:
(a) where registration is effected as the result of information provided by the mother or the father of the stillborn child, the mother or the father of the stillborn child shall be provided, on request, with a certified copy of the register entry at the time of registration;
(b) the mother or father of the stillborn child shall thereafter be entitled to obtain a certified copy of an entry in the register, if an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir, or a person to whom an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir delegates this power, is satisfied that the person making the request is the mother or the father of the stillborn child to whom the entry relates;
(c) certified copies of register entries shall be made available to other persons only at the discretion of an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir.
num: 9
paragraphs: —Corrections or additions to entries in a register shall be made only by a person authorised by, and in accordance with, the directions of an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir.
num: 10
paragraphs: —(1) Offences relating to the registration of births shall apply also to the registration of stillbirths and penalties for the time being in force for such offences shall apply also to equivalent offences relating to stillbirths registration.
(2) Any false statement or misrepresentation made by a person with a view to obtaining a certified copy of an entry in a stillbirths register shall be an offence under section 30 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Ireland), 1880.
num: 11
paragraphs: —A fee for a certified copy of an entry in a register of births shall apply also to a certified copy of an entry in the register of stillbirths.
num: 12
paragraphs: —The Minister for Health, or an tArd-ChlÃ¡raitheoir, with the consent of the Minister for Health, may provide forms for use for the purposes of this Act.
num: 13
paragraphs: —(1) This Act may be cited as the Stillbirths Registration Act, 1994.
(2) The Births and Deaths Registration Acts, 1863 to 1987, and this Act may be cited together as the Births and Deaths Registration Acts, 1863 to 1994, and shall be construed together as one.
(3) This Act shall come into operation on such day as the Minister by order appoints.