Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018
1181. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated number of persons adopted here prior to the Adoption Act 1952; the number which were adoptions of Irish children that were arranged for families in the United States of America, Canada, Austrialia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom since 1952; the number of adoptions from 1922 to 1952; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36984/18]
View answerThe Adoption Act 1952 established a statutory basis for adoption in Ireland and provided for the establishment of the Adoption Board, which is now the Adoption Authority of Ireland. The Authority holds all the records relating to domestic adoptions in Ireland from 1953 to the present day, which number approximately 45,000. Prior to 1952 there was no legal basis for adoption in Ireland.
My Department does not hold statistics in relation to children who may have travelled from Ireland to be adopted abroad. However the Department is aware that there are records relating to this practice in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 provides for the Adoption Authority of Ireland to be responsible for collecting, restoring, preserving and safekeeping adoption records, including information relating to informal adoptions and persons whose birth was illegally registered.
The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 has passed Second Stage in the Seanad and it is my intention that the Bill will be enacted by the end of the year.
