Births, Deaths & Marriage Certificates

When did the price of a birth cert rise to €20?
The last time I had to get one it was only €8 and it wasn't so long ago..
Due to our company pension scheme being wound up (I'll keep that rant for another day!) I had to get my birth cert, marriage cert and wife's birth cert so that I can claim the pittance in my pension scheme.
As the wife works for the same company, in the same pension scheme she too had to provide a birth cert for herself, my birth cert and a marriage cert.
My jaw nearly hit the floor when the girl behind the counter asked for €120 for the 6 certs. She even felt embarrassed asking for the money.

Easy money for the state from a captive audience....

Bloody stealth taxes....

Gone are the days when you could mosey into your local Health Board Registry of Births & Deaths read the free newspaper and pay out thirty bob for a Birth Certificate. You always chose the "long" certificate"Shure wasn't it only two bob dearer?" You got your certificate gave it into the Dept of Social Welfare with your claim for Childrens Allowance or to your employer to prove when you were born etc. The service was inexpensive and Birth Certs were treated like used confetti after a wedding.

Then came the Recession along with its austerity and suddenly things got dearer, wages got smaller and we are all surprised. Labour is not cheap these days and like tickets for Croke Park etc Birth Certs cost more. Water was free since the foundation of the state and in a few short weeks it is going to cost (at least) €240 per year.

I hear the equivalent Birth Cert in the UK has gone up also and if you want a wax seal on it I hear you pay an additional £70 - £80 Sterling. Renewing your passport (another piece of paper where you supply the photo and do the legwork) costs €80.00. For years if you wanted a copy of bank statements you had to pay the bank €3 per page and remember this is just to click the print button on a computer.

Welcome to my world!