Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I am in Leinster House. I thank all the witnesses for their very considered submissions. They are very valuable and I really appreciate their points. My first question is around the three-month window. I hear that we need to ensure that everyone is aware of their opportunity to register their "Contact" or "No contact" preference, whichever that would be. I very respectfully hear Ms Traynor when she says that period must be longer. I am, however, naturally nervous about the fact that the heads of the Bill as they currently stand have a stay on adoptees and people having a right to their own information until that period has elapsed. I would, therefore, see this as a rolling opportunity to register and perhaps suggest that we need a longer campaign. I would value Ms Traynor's thoughts in that regard.

With regard to Tusla, has the data processing impact assessment on the mother and baby homes database been published? I am curious to know that. As Mr. Gloster referenced it and as it is being strengthened within this Bill, I am curious to know where we are at this moment.

My thoughts also go to the cohort that was particularly referenced by Mr. O'Mahony, that is, those people whose information about themselves, which they think they know about, is false, including their date of birth. I refer to the St. Patrick's Guild group. As time moves on, however, more and more people are finding that similar experience for themselves. They do not know whether they are with the St. Patrick's Guild group or not but they certainly have the same experience of all their information being false. In that regard, what are the thoughts around perhaps having an opportunity for additional relatives to register their knowledge? When such people are contacted and have had the experience of being contacted by Tusla, sometimes the information they have been given is incorrect and has later been proven to be so by DNA. I will stop there and come back in again later if I may.