4. Ms Bradshaw asked the Minister of Finance whether she will introduce legislation to allow for birth certificates, published before 11 March 2022, to be translated into Irish by the General Register Office. (AQO 237/22-27)

Work on the commitment in the 'New Decade, New Approach' document focused on how future registrations might be made in Irish. Providing retrospective certificates in Irish would require careful legal and technical consideration and appropriate resources. The Department will consider how best to address those questions alongside its other ambitions to progress the use of Irish in the registration services that it provides.

Thank you, Minister, for your answer. The question was off the back of your response to a question for written answer, and I appreciate the extra information that you have given me today, but have we costed that work, and is there a timescale? Some of my constituents are very keen to see their birth certificates in Irish.

The Department continues to work on the roll-out of registrations in Irish. I recently met Conradh na Gaeilge to discuss our commitments in respect of the Irish language. Work is ongoing on how we can meet the commitments that we have made and on looking at some of the other issues.

San am i láthair, tá muid in áit iontach aisteach, ina dtig leat teastas breithe a fháil as Gaeilge, deimhniú báis a fháil as Gaeilge, ach ní thig leat uacht a dhéanamh as Gaeilge ach an oiread.

[Translation: At present, we are in the strange position in which one can have a birth certificate in Irish, as well as a death certificate in Irish, but we still cannot have a will conducted in Irish.]

What steps will be taken to provide that service?

The Department of Finance does not hold legislative authority for wills. I am engaging with my Executive colleagues to ensure that the New Decade, New Approach commitment is appropriately led and taken forward, and I have written to the Justice Minister to ask the Department of Justice, working with its agencies, such as the Courts and Tribunals Service, to take responsibility for progressing that issue, which relates to the repeal of the Administration of Justice Act and to the matter of wills and probate, which falls under its remit.

How many registrations in Irish under the new legislation are re-registrations?

Since the option for births, marriages and deaths to be registered with a choice of Irish, bilingual or English certificate headings was introduced on 11 March 2022, there have been 4,934 bilingual and 92 Irish birth registrations; 1,164 bilingual and 25 Irish death registrations; and 1,382 bilingual and 17 Irish marriage or civil partnership registrations. Those figures include re-registrations. I expect that, as the changes to the system continue to bed in, they will increase over time.