Skip to main content
Normal View

Adoption Records Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 June 2013

Thursday, 13 June 2013

Questions (182)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

182. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify her statements on the need for a referendum to grant adopted persons full tracing and information rights and the plans in place to address the ineffectiveness of the mechanism of the National Contact Preference Register in addressing adopted persons' tracing and information needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28471/13]

View answer

Written answers

Work is ongoing on the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill, which will provide for a structured and regulated approach to providing access to adoption information and will facilitate contact for those affected by adoption, including in circumstances where an adoption order was not effected. Complex issues have arisen during the course of the preparation of the Bill, including the criteria for balancing an adopted person's right to information about his or her identity as against a birth parent's right to privacy. My own view is that persons affected by adoption should be provided with as much information as possible within permissible Constitutional boundaries. Consideration of legal and policy issues is ongoing and once these have been satisfactorily resolved, I intend to seek Government approval to publish the Heads of Bill. It is my intention to bring this Bill before the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming months.

The National Adoption Contact Register (NACPR) was established in 2005 to assist adopted people and their natural families to make contact with each other, exchange information or state their contact preferences. Applicants decide, through a range of information and contact options, how they wish to proceed. It is intended that the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2013 will provide for placing the National Contact Preference Register on a statutory basis. However, the number of successful matches made is reliant on the various parties joining the Register. It is an individual choice whether a person decides to join the register.

At the end of 2012 there were 7224 adopted people and 3165 natural relatives registered with the NACPR. Just over 600 “matches” in total have been generated, i.e. over 600 adopted persons have been matched with one (or more) natural relatives. In 2012 the Information and Tracing Unit processed 542 new applications to join the Register, which resulted in 54 “matches”. In the first five months of 2013 there have been a total of 28 "matches".

Top
Share