My friend in the Welfare Dept. in Dublin just sent me this article..hot off the press!  Good new for everyone! ~Sue  :} (excuse the cross-postings!) :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: HIGH TECH MODERNISATION OF BIRTHS MARRIAGES AND DEATHS        REGISTRATION PROPOSED IN NEW CONSULTATION DOCUMENT Ministers Dermot Ahern and Michael Martin today to-day joined forces to launch a consultation document as the first step in modernising the system of registration of births, deaths and marriages (Civil Registration). The document "Bringing Civil Registration into the 21st Century" is intended to inform people of the plans to modernise the Civil Registration Service and to seek the views of the widest possible audience. Speaking at the launch, Minister Ahern said "The present system is now over 150 years old and needs to be modernised. The Government is committed to delivering a high quality public service by exploiting the best technology now available. This is a good example of that promise in action. It will make queues for births certificates a thing of the past by taking the need for paper certificates out of the system." Minister Martin went on to say "We are spending some £7 million on developing a modern Civil Registration Service as part of the Government's modernisation action programme. This is a key building block in the integration of public services and eGovernment with the objective of providing more convenient access to information and services". Following a competitive tendering process, the contract has been awarded to Accenture. Ian Slattery, partner, Accenture said "Accenture is delighted to be working with Government on the modernisation of the Civil Registration Service. The modernisation programme will radically transform the way citizens interact with the Departments and will firmly move the Departments to the fore in the provision of services to citizens electronically." The key proposals in the Consultation document are: · Registrars of Births to be located in maternity hospitals to   allow easier registration. · Marriage notification/registration may be completed at any   Registrar's office. · Registration may be completed by post. · Certificate to be provided free of charge where the event is   registered within a specified time. · Personal Public Service Number to be allocated at birth   registration. · All adoptions, both national and foreign, to be registered. · A central divorce/nullity database to be created. · Birth/Death/Marriage certificates to be forwarded   electronically to the Department of Social, Community and   Family Affairs for social welfare purposes eg Child Benefit. · Certificates to be available at designated locations   country-wide. It is planned that the new service will be implemented in the first quarter 2002. The document is available on the Web at www.welfare.ie