At present an adopted person may access the information required to obtain their birth certificate where there is birth parent consent or where the birth parent is deceased. The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 provides for the first time a statutory entitlement to identity information for adopted persons. It provides for a structured and regulated access to information and tracing services for those affected by adoption. It sets out the information that can be provided and the circumstances in which it can be provided to adopted persons and provides that services will be provided by Tusla. A key provision in the Bill provides that an adopted person aged 18 years or over who was adopted prior to commencement of the Bill will be provided with the information required to apply for his or her birth certificate, subject to certain conditions. The Bill passed Second Stage in Seanad Eireann in May 2017.
Information and tracing services to adopted persons are provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Persons seeking such information should contact the Information and Tracing services of TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency (www.tusla.ie) or the Adoption Authority of Ireland www.aai.gov.ie.