Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2023
933. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking in response to individuals being informed that they will not be provided with their personal information with in the statutory 90 days, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, by a State body (details supplied). [13050/23]
View answerThe Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 provides guaranteed access to birth and early life information where it exists, thereby addressing a decades-long historic injustice. In this context, there is an initial surge of demand for services under the Act and everyone is committed to responding to this demand as quickly as possible.
As of Monday 13th March, a total of 2,992 applications for information have been received by the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI), with approximately 55% of these being received in the first two weeks following enactment.
A total of 1,247 information requests have been completed by the AAI since applications opened.
In addition, the AAI has successfully identified 214 matches on the Contact Preference Register for people seeking to contact relatives. 66 pairs of relatives have been facilitated in making contact to date and the AAI is working with the other matched people to facilitate contact.
The AAI is actively engaging with those affected by delays and expects to clear the backlog of applications received by it by Autumn 2023. However, it is important to note that many applicants will receive their information much sooner than this, as more and more people obtain their information every week. Since the start of 2023, 643 new information requests have been processed.
I am deeply conscious of the frustration caused to applicants receiving a notification indicating that there will be a delay in the compilation and release of their information. However, I am confident that the AAI is doing its utmost to respond to all of the applications received within the shortest possible period.
Furthermore, officials from my Department have been engaging with both the AAI and the Child and Family Agency, Tusla in respect of the ongoing implementation of services under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 . Both agencies advise that they have re-assigned staff members to work exclusively on processing applications and that they will continue to keep every person who is waiting for information informed about their application.
