Deaths of Irish Abroad to be Registered at Home

Oireachtas Committee Calls for Change to Legislation to Allow Deaths of Irish Nationals Abroad to be Registered at Home

Relatives Say Current Situation Leaves to Sense of Hurt and Lack of Closure

28 April 2010

The Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs has today unanimously recommended altering the relevant legislation in order to enable deaths of Irish citizens who have died abroad to be registered here.

Currently, most deaths of Irish citizens overseas can only be registered within the county where the death occurs and an Irish death certificate cannot be obtained.

The Committee heard today from family members of Irish people who have died abroad. Among those at today’s meeting were the relatives of the late Keith O’Reilly from Co Galway. Keith died in a swimming accident last July in the United States while working there on a student visa. When it came to registering his death in Ireland, his family discovered they were unable to do so.

The Committee was told that in the last three years, 598 Irish citizens have died outside this country. In 2009, the figure was 244 and to date in 2010, over 40 Irish nationals have lost their lives overseas.

Relatives outlined to the Committee the hurt and distress the present situation is causing them. It means they cannot gain closure and that for grieving families there is a sense of unfinished business. Mr O’Reilly’s told the Committee that “without a record of registration of Keith’s death here in Ireland, it will forever feel as though a piece of him remains stranded across a vast ocean, miles from family, miles from home.”

The Committee unanimously resolved to contact the Minister for Social and Family Affairs asking him to amend the relevant section of the Civil Registration Act 2004 to allow deaths abroad to be registered in Ireland.

Under the present legislation, only deaths of members of the Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces, deaths on board an Irish aircraft or ship, deaths of Irish citizens on board a foreign ship or foreign aircraft travelling to or from a port or airport or the death of an Irish citizen in a State where there is no system of registration in place can receive an Irish death certificate.

It is estimated that over 6,000 J1 visas are granted annually, 22,000 working holiday visas, while in 2009 approximately seven million trips were made from these shores by Irish people.