The human rights of mothers and adoptees in the South East have been failed again, according to a Carlow Kilkenny TD.
Kathleen Funchion says many recommendations made to Wednesday's new Birth Information and Tracing legislation published were not taken on board.
The new bill will give adopted people the legal right to their birth certificate, which Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman says is an attempt to make up for previous government failures.
However, Speaking to Beat News, Sinn Fein's Spokesperson on Children Kathleen Funchion says there’s no excuse for getting it wrong:
“I am completely dismayed the Minister, once again has not listened to adoptees, mothers or their advocates."
“What I find most disappointing is the deliberate ploy by the Government to spin today’s announcement as a win for adoptees and mothers in the South East, but the reality is this is no win. They have not been listened to."
“This week's announcement should no be marked as a historic moment for adoptees in the long and exhausting journey they have traveled, in gaining full and unfettered access to their records and birth information – but again they have been met with another government bill that will not deliver."
“The extensive work undertaken by the committee, the hours and hours of testimony from adoptees, mothers, survivors and their advocates; the significant and all-encompassing report and comprehensive consultation all appears to have been in vain, and I believe makes a mockery of the committee and its work."
After decades of campaigning, adopted people in Ireland will finally get full access to their birth certificates.
Previous governments repeatedly said this couldn’t be done because of the privacy rights of the birth mother.
The government will also set up a new tracing service to help adopted people contact their families.
The bill is expected to pass through the Dail later this year.
But Deputy Funchion says amendments will be made.
