Prolonged closure of Longford registry office branded ‘a disgrace’

Several locally elected members accused senior officials of causing undue stress and unease to couples who have been left in limbo by the decision.

Fianna Fáil's Seamus Butler described the continued absence of a service which also records births and deaths as a “bloody disgrace”.

He said both he and fellow Fianna Fáil Cllr Martin Monaghan had even been forced into coming to the aid of a local couple who had to travel to Tullamore to make their public declaration in front of the Superintendent registrar ahead of their wedding last weekend.

“They (couple) were absolutely up the walls,” he said, adding he had been met with a “stone wall” response from HSE senior management as to the reasons behind the centre's prolonged closure during Covid-19.

“I don't often get angry, but this is people's lives we are talking about and they (HSE) have closed the doors just because they haven't got their act together,” he said.

Cllr Monaghan followed suit and was keen to deflect any criticism from Longford's incumbent registrar who had been more than accommodating.

“The registrar was willing to facilitate us but her superiors were not,” said Cllr Monaghan, when referring to the affected couple.

“We are trying to promote business and investment in this town and yet we are being given the runaround by senior management in the HSE.”