Vol. 464 No. 3
46 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if she will review the existing adoption contact register with a view to making it a recognised national register in view of the very practical work it has carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8165/96]
The establishment of a national contact register to assist adopted persons and birth parents who wish to re-establish contact with one another is one of my priorities in the area of adoption and the options in relation to such a register are currently being examined. In particular, the issue as to what body will maintain the register and whether this task would be more appropriate to a statutory or non-statutory body given the confidential nature of the records to which it will have access has yet to be decided.
