No plans to change death register legislation
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By JOHN FALLON
Families of Irish people who have died abroad have been dismayed to discover that there are no plans to change legislation that would allow their deaths be registered in this country.
At present the law only allows for the deaths of members of the Defence Forces and Gardai serving abroad to be registered here.
But with the number of deaths abroad increasing dramatically — there were 243 last year compared to 205 in 2008 and 130 the year before — a campaign has been launched
The chairman of HSE West, Cllr Padraig Conneely, is leading a campaign to have Irish deaths abroad registered here after a Galway family, whose son died in the United States this summer, found they could not register his death here.
Keith O’Reilly (22) from Merlin Park in Galway, a third year engineering student at NUI Galway, lost his life when he hit a hidden rock after diving into Lake Michigan after going for a swim.
His parents Liam and Yvonne, who have four other children, have had to deal with every parents’ nightmare but were astounded to discover they could not register Keith’s death here in Ireland.
“Keith was an Irish citizen. He was born in Dublin, raised in Galway, went to school and college here. He did everything in Ireland, yet his death will not be recorded here,” said his mother Yvonne.
“Everything about Keith’s life can be tracked here, yet it all comes to a halt and there is no record of when or where he died,” she added.
She was shocked to discover that Keith’s death would not be recorded in Ireland — it was only when she got around to doing practical things like closing bank accounts, dealing with his college place and all the other things that require multiple copies of his death certificate.
Cllr Conneely said that several other families in a similar position had been in contact from all over the country but they were dismayed to find out in the past few days that the law will not be changed.
“It is only a minor alteration, they changed it in Britain a few years ago. The deaths will still be registered abroad but they will also be registered.
“However, we have now been told by the Office of the Register Generral that he does not plan to make the change, although no reason is given.
“It is extremely disappointing and just adds considerably to the grief that families are going through.
“To be honest it is an unacceptable response and we will now be looking for cross-party support for the change to be made, not least as there is absolutely no reason not to make the alteration,” said Cllr. Coneely.
