53.—(1) An tArd-Chláraitheoir shall establish and maintain a register (which shall be known as the Register of Solemnisers and is referred to in this Part as “the Register”) of persons empowered, by virtue of their registration in the Register, to solemnise marriages.

(2) The Register shall be open to inspection by members of the public at all reasonable times.

(3) An tArd-Chláraitheoir shall, subject to subsection (4), register a person in respect of whom an application is made under section 54.

(4) An tArd-Chláraitheoir shall refuse to register a person if he or she considers that—

(a) the body concerned (not being F207[the Executive]) is not F208[a religious body or a secular body],

(b) the form of marriage ceremony used by the body concerned does not include both of the declarations specified in section 51(4) or is inconsistent with either of them,

(c) the form of marriage ceremony used by the body concerned has not been approved by an tArd-Chláraitheoir, or

(d) the person is not a fit and proper person to solemnise a marriage.

(5) It shall be the duty of the body on the application of whom a person is registered in the Register to notify an tArd-Chláraitheoir as soon as practicable of—

(a) the death, resignation or retirement of the person from the office by virtue of which he or she became so registered, or

(b) any change in the information provided in the application, and an tArd-Chláraitheoir shall make such amendments of the Register as he or she considers necessary.

(6) An entry in the Register shall be in such form and contain such particulars as an tArd-Chláraitheoir may determine.

(7) The Minister may provide by regulations for the correction of errors in entries in the Register by causing corrected entries to be entered in the Register and the original entries to be maintained in the Register.