Genealogy enthusiasts around the world will mount a telephone and e-mail protest today to highlight what they say is the inadequacy of the General Register Office in Dublin.
Organisers of the protest last night predicted "thousands" of family history researchers among the Irish Diaspora would contact the Department of Health, which is responsible for the office and its records. The Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations said it was mounting the campaign in support of a demand that "if the Department of Health can't provide an adequate service, it should hand over the records to someone who can". The National Library has been identified as the most likely alternative.
In a statement, the CIGO said the General Register Office was an important genealogical repository for people of Irish heritage, and the Department had an obligation to provide adequate staff and funding for it to operate.
"It is not acceptable that it be closed at lunchtime. It is not acceptable that paying customers should be limited in the number of records they may check by purchasing photocopies. It is not acceptable that there is only one set of index books for public inspection."