Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2019
237. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016; and the timeframe for the Bill to progress to Committee Stage. [1928/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the Minister’s intention to progress to Committee Stage of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 in the Seanad Éireann as quickly as possible.
This is an important piece of legislation as it provides adopted people and other relevant people with statutory rights to information and to a tracing service. It will also protect relevant records by bringing them into the custody of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and it will create offences for the concealment, destruction, mutilation or falsification of such records.
The Bill must operate within the current constitutional framework and must seek to balance the rights to identity and to privacy, which may sometimes be in conflict. However, the Bill operates on the basis of a presumption in favour of disclosing information in so far as is legally and constitutionally possible. I am continuing to actively explore all options in relation to facilitating the release of as much information as possible to adopted and other relevant persons and will introduce any necessary amendments at Committee Stage.
