Jan O'Sullivan
Question:53. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects to publish the adoption (information and tracing) Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33527/16]
View answerTuesday, 8 November 2016
Questions (53)
Written answers
Work on the drafting of the Adoption (Information and Tracing Bill) is underway and I am committed to publishing the Bill in November.
This Bill is intended to facilitate access to adoption information and operates on the basis of a presumption in favour of disclosing information in so far as is legally and constitutionally possible for both domestic and inter-country adoptions. The Bill will, for the first time, provide a statutory basis for the provision of information related to both past and future adoptions. It will provide clarity around the information that can be provided and the circumstances in which it can be provided.
One of the key provisions in this Bill is to give an adopted person, aged 18 years or over who was adopted prior to its commencement, a statutory entitlement to the information required to apply for their birth certificate subject to certain conditions. The Bill also provides that an adopted person whose adoption was effected after the commencement of the Bill will be given their birth certificate at 18 years of age.