Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In a number of sections, the legislation provides for guidelines to be published by me or the Minister of the day with regard to the interpretation the agencies, that is Tusla and the AAI, will give to various provisions including provisions in respect of provided items and care information. Again, this speaks to the concern that we touched on at the end of our discussion the last day, the sense among many adopted people that there was a culture of not releasing information. When you look at the history in this area, there was definitely such a culture in the past. As I stated the last day, we are doing two things to address that culture, beyond this legislation which clearly provides for a legal basis and legal obligation to release information. One is the establishment of the implementation group, headed by my Department, which brings together Tusla, AAI and the Department to talk about the approach to be taken.

Officials from my Department have met those who will lead the implementation of this legislation and both agencies to talk about the change in culture. I know Mr. Bernard Gloster has appeared before this committee and members have spoken to him. It is very clear that he realises the need for a change in culture particularly in Tusla regarding its culture of release of information. Beyond that there is also the publication of guidelines. If a future Minister believes that the changing culture is not being manifest, those guidelines can be tightened and refined to ensure that we get full release of all information.