Buncrana Civil Registration Office to reopen after u-turn by the HSE

The HSE has confirmed that the Buncrana Civil Registration Office will reopen in the new Primary Care Centre on Maginn Avenue.

There had been dismay when the closure of the service was announced in mid-March after 75 years in the town. That meant that Inishowen people would face lengthy round-trips to Letterkenny or Stranorlar to register births, deaths and marriages instead.

In an apparent u-turn, the HSE has now announced that the service will resume with effect from Wednesday, May 21. However, it will only operate one day per week on a Wednesday, and on an outreach service by appointment only.

The HSE says the Civil Registration Service is “fully committed to providing a comprehensive service, which meets the needs of the population” – and its decision to reopen in Buncrana will be reviewed on a three-monthly basis, depending on the level of demand from the public.

One of those who had strongly lobbied for the return of the axed Buncrana Civil Registration Office was County Councillor Fionan Bradley – and the Fianna Fail man has welcomed the announcement.

“Minister Charlie McConalogue and I recently met with the HSE in relation to the Civil Registration Office, which was based in the new Primary Care Centre in Buncrana,” he explained.

“We pressed the importance of this service to the Inishowen peninsula, particularly given

that we have a bigger population than County Leitrim, which has one Civil Registration Office – and Inishowen is a bigger geographical area than County Louth, which has two CRS offices.”

“It was made abundantly clear to the HSE that nothing other than a reversal of this decision would be acceptable,” he added.

Cllr Bradley is now urging the public here to make sure they use the CRS office at the Buncrana Primary Care Centre: It’s very much a case of use it, or lose it.

He said: “At the moment, the office will only be open on a Wednesday and those

wishing to register a birth, death or marriage must make an appointment in advance. This arrangement will then be reviewed in three months’ time.”

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Cllr Bradley added: “I would strongly urge anyone registering a birth, death or marriage to use this service, in the office, in that time. I know that it’s only available one day per week but our only hope of maintaining and preferably increasing the level of service is if we can go back to the HSE with cold hard figures on the number of people who have used the service in the office.”

Anyone who wishes to make an appointment to attend the Buncrana Civil Registration Office to serve notice of intention to marry may do so by first phoning one of the following four numbers: 07491 23771/2, 07491 91729 or 07191 91730.

Members of the public can also make an appointment to register a birth or a death online by visiting www2.hse.ie/services