Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth to resume Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021 with Minister O’Gorman

The meeting at 3.30pm with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth will be broadcast from Committee Room 2 of Leinster House.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Kathleen Funchion said: “Earlier this year the Committee agreed to prioritise the scrutiny of legislation aimed at bringing justice and closure to the survivors of Mother and Baby Homes, including the Birth Information and Tracing Bill. We have previously sought written submissions from interested groups and individuals and held a number of public meetings with relevant stakeholders. We now look forward to discussing the Heads of the Bill with Minister O’Gorman to hear the Department’s view on this important legislation.”

The purpose of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021 is to enshrine into law the importance of an individual knowing their origins. The Bill proposes a right to access birth certificates, birth and early life information for people who have questions in relation to their origins, and also all people who were adopted, boarded out, the subject of an illegal birth and others with questions in relation to their identity. The legislation also proposes the establishment of a comprehensive Tracing Service and a statutory Contact Preference Register to support people wishing to make contact or share information.

It is important to note that the Committee is assessing the proposed legislation which is currently before it and not any other document.

The Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas.ie.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.