Ms Noreen Leahy:

The register is going to change. At present, one registers as an adopted person and says one is looking for siblings or for one's birth parent. Unless there is a match on the register nothing happens until either a sibling or a birth parent registers. Then the process commences.

The new register will be proactive. When an adopted person registers, and they are not seeking the birth certificate as they have gone through all of that process, and say they are looking for siblings, the trace for siblings will commence. Similarly, if a sibling enters the details on the register, a trace will commence for that adopted person. The register will facilitate contact for siblings.

Drafting has not yet commenced on the Bill. We are awaiting the report of the committee. At the same time we are considering how best to proceed, so that may change.

There has been no decision yet regarding fees. As I mentioned, it is a standard provision in the Bill. If we had not included it, we could be in trouble down the road, but there is no decision at present.