Births and deaths registry to be overhauled

The government is to invest £7m in the Civil Registration Service, which registers births, deaths and marriages.

Health Minister Micheal Martin and Social Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern announced the revamp of the 150-year-old service today.

The reorganisation may remove the need for paper birth certs, registering such information electronically instead.

More designated registry centres are also planned, along with the option of details being dealt with through the post.