Adoption Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 6 September 2019

Friday, 6 September 2019

Questions (1715)

Joan Burton

Question:

1715. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of adoption records identified by her Department that may be false and-or misleading, including illegal registration of births; her plans to hold a full-scale audit of adoption records with a view to determining the number of adoption records that may be false and or misleading and including illegal registration of births; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36639/19]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

In February 2018 Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, informed my Department that they had discovered evidence of illegal birth registrations in files from St. Patrick's Guild Adoption Society. 148 illegal birth registrations have been confirmed, to date, although this figure may increase. The work of notifying those affected by the discovery of illegal registration in the St Patrick's Guild file is ongoing. To date, these cases are the only cases identified where a high level of certainty has been reached, that an illegal birth registration has taken place.

The Deputy will be aware that following the discovery of these illegal birth registrations, I commissioned Marion Reynolds to act as the independent chair of a sampling review into illegal birth registrations. I have received this report from the independent reviewer, and am currently awaiting legal advice on this report from the Attorney General. Decisions about examination of further records will follow the publication of this report.