Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
549. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 since taking office. [11456/22]
View answer550. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) regarding the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 since taking office. [11457/22]
View answer556. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) concerning the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 since taking office. [11781/22]
View answer557. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of meetings he has had with an organisation (details supplied) concerning the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 since taking office. [11782/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 549, 550, 556 and 557 together.
In advance of, and during the drafting process of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill, I have continued to engage with and listen to stakeholders who are affected by the provisions of the Bill.
In November 2020 I met with the Clann Project alongside An Taoiseach. I met with Aitheantas on three occasions and discussions would have included the proposed legislation and their 'Adoptee Voices' report.
Following the publication of the General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill in May 2021, I hosted a webinar to explain the intention of the legislation and to respond to questions. At that time, in addition to the webinar, I also met with Aitheantas, the Adoption Rights Alliance and the Council of Adoption Agencies to hear their views on the Heads of Bill. I have also had the opportunity to participate in the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill and have considered carefully the submissions made by stakeholders during the pre-legislative process. More generally, I have met with hundreds of survivors and persons affected by adoption, boarding out or illegal birth registration over the past year. Through this engagement, I know that access to identity information is an urgent and priority need for many people and am committed to ensuring this access via the Birth Information and Tracing Bill.
