Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 93:

In page 14, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: “(i) any person or organisation involved in facilitating adoptions;”.

Amendments Nos. 93 to 101, inclusive, seek to expand the organisations and individuals involved in the organisation of incarceration or facilitating of adoptions, whether legal or illegal. It is incorrect that any institution that was established or operated for the purposes of providing care to children in residence may be added to the Schedule because section 5 states that only the Minister may add to the Schedule. This means a significant number of the 182 institutions, agencies and individuals involved in separating unmarried mothers from their children will still be exempt from the legislation.

Amendment No. 107 seeks to expand again to include any individual or organisation that operated in this State for the purposes of care to children. Amendment No. 108 changes the connotation making it irrelevant whether the State had regulatory inspection function. Amendment No. 357 again seeks to expand the remit of the Bill to provide a mechanism for adopted people and mothers to access the administrative records of institutions, agencies and individuals involved in forced family separation. We know that this was widespread and the people affected by this practice often feel they have no right to ask for information. It is therefore imperative that forced family separation is included in the Long Title of the Bill.