Michael Creed
Question:262 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce legislation to amend existing laws governing adoption; and if so, the type of changes which he envisages. [25544/00]
Vol. 525 No. 5
262 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce legislation to amend existing laws governing adoption; and if so, the type of changes which he envisages. [25544/00]
Officials in my Department are currently working on two major pieces of adoption legislation, the Adoption Information Bill, and the Bill to ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption.
Legislation is at an advanced stage in the area of adoption information. Currently access to birth information is restricted under section 22 of the Adoption Act, 1952, although tracing and reunion services are provided on a non-statutory basis by the Adoption Board, the health boards, registered adoption societies and some voluntary groups. This Bill will regulate on a statutory basis search and reunion services and will provide for information rights for adopted people, birth parents and other parties to the adoption. It is also proposed that this Bill will deal with access to records and the care and management of records held by the various agencies. I anticipate having the scheme of a Bill in this area to Government in the near future.