Ms Lisa Kiernan:

There are some issues with language from our side too. As indicated in the opening statement, our group is not comprised of illegal adoptees. I am not sure my mum would look to be referred to as an "adopted adult" as for her that would probably be as much of an insult as when Tusla representatives came to meet us and offered to see if they could have her adopted at 70 years old. That would have been an official adoption. My mum is my mum and she is who she is. She does not know who she is but she is who she is. She is not adopted. She was bought, she was sold, she was trafficked; it can be whatever word people want to use. It was the same with most of our group.

I take issue with the language. The term "illegal adoptions" seems to be used regularly for the group, particularly with what was originally the 126 of the St. Patrick's Guild group. We now know the number to be far bigger than that. I ask sincerely that the practice of referring to these people as "adoptees" is stopped as they were never adopted. I know it hurts my mum to use the words but they were bought, they were sold and they were trafficked. That is what it is. It must be acknowledged for anything to work with this Bill.