The General Synod of the Church of Ireland

Bills ...| 2 | 3

The following draft Bill will be debated during this year's General Synod. For further information on amendments and passage through General Synod please contact The General Synod Press Office

BILL NO 1

Explanatory Memorandum

Until 1 January 2004 Marriage Registers were provided by the state in both civil jurisdictions in Ireland and there was no requirement upon select vestries of parishes to provide for the keeping of marriage record books in addition to the registers of baptisms and of burials which were already so kept.

However, since 1 January 2004 when the Marriage (NI) Order 2003 came into force, the recording of marriage for state purposes is no longer in a register in Northern Ireland but on a Marriage Schedule retained by the relevant civil Registrar. The provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 which is expected to be brought into force in late 2005, will have similar implications for Church of Ireland parishes in the Republic of Ireland.

It is necessary, therefore to amend Section 25 of Chapter III of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, which relates to the various registers which must be provided by select vestries in respect of baptisms and burials in the parish, to include also a requirement for the provision of Marriage Record Books in which shall be recorded any marriage which may be celebrated in that parish according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of Ireland.

Accordingly, Clause 2 seeks to make the requisite amendment by inserting a new subsection 25(1A) into section 25 of Chapter III of the Constitution.
Clause 3, which provides for the dates of commencement of the new subsection 25(1A), of the said Chapter III, seeks to ensure that the requirement upon Select Vestries for the provision of Marriage Record Books will not become effective immediately for parishes in the Republic of Ireland but will come into force on a day to be appointed by the Standing Committee so enabling the requirement to be delayed until the relevant civil legislation in the Republic becomes effective.

LADY SHEIL
VEN REB WHITE
(on behalf of the Standing Committee)

Bill

To amend Chapter III of the Constitution

Whereas it is desirable that, in every church or chapel in which a beneficed or licensed member of the clergy officiates and in which a register of vestry members is kept, a Marriage Record Book shall be provided by the select vestry of that parish:
Be it enacted by the Archbishops and Bishops and by the clergy and laity of the Church of Ireland in General Synod assembled in Dublin in the year 2005, and by the authority of the same as follows:

In this Statute Chapter III means Chapter III of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland.
In Chapter III immediately after Section 25(1) there shall be inserted the following sub-section:

The select vestry shall also provide in each parish a Marriage Record Book in which shall be recorded any marriages which may be celebrated in that parish according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of Ireland.

(a) With effect from 12 May 2005 the provisions of Section 2 of this Statute shall come into force in respect of parishes all or part of which are located in Northern Ireland

(b) In respect of parishes which are located in the Republic of Ireland the provisions of Section 2 of this Statute shall come into effect on a day to be appointed by the Standing Committee.

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