Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1132. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on and response to recommendation 8 (details supplied) of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth report on pre-legislative scrutiny of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2578/22]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 (published on 12 January last) provides for the release, on application, of birth certificates, birth, early life, care and medical information for adopted persons, people who were boarded out, nursed out, subject to an illegal birth registration, or who resided in a Mother and Baby or County Home Institution as a child.
The report of the Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill was received from the Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in mid-December 2021. My officials and I have carefully considered the recommendations set out within. Having had the opportunity to partake in the pre-legislative scrutiny process and engage with stakeholders directly, I am confident that a significant number of the recommendations have been addressed in the further development of the Bill, including the recommendation referenced by the Deputy.
The Bill now contains a new section that empowers the Minister to add institutions to the schedule. This flexible and forward-looking new section is broad in its remit and will allow for the addition of any institution that was established or operated for the purpose of providing care to children in which children were placed and resident. The inclusion of this section mitigates the risk of anyone being excluded from the definition of "relevant person" set out in this Bill, while also allowing this urgent legislation to progress without delay. In developing the definition of relevant person within the Bill, I have been mindful to ensure that the range of individuals who have questions regarding the origin of their birth, would be included and benefit from the passing of this legislation.
