Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister stated, we support the statutory underpinning of a tracing service and the provision of that statutory underpinning. The need for that was made clear. As Deputy Cairns said, the experience of Tusla of many of the witnesses who came before the committee was very negative. I look again at our recommendations Nos. 56 and 57 in the pre-legislative scrutiny report, where we indicated the dissatisfaction in experiences with Tusla and the AAI, and the need to ensure improvements in resourcing, culture and legal structure. There was also a recommendation that a new agency would carry out functions assigned and that interim arrangements would be made. These amendments are proposed in that spirit and in recognition of what we heard at committee meetings. The amendments deserve consideration.

The Minister has made a very significant indication that he will table amendments on Report Stage on the delivery of specialised placing services in the context of illegal birth registrations. We probably all want a little more clarity on what those amendments would look like. Is it envisaged, for example, that there would be any provision for a criminal investigation or is it much more about the tracing of the birth? From the brave testimonies of people who have come forward and been the subject of illegal adoption, we are all conscious that the tracing in the context of these adoptions would be a much more difficult process because there were falsified records in some cases. Attempts were made to cover up in others.

Will the Minister outline exactly what will the specialised tracing look like at this stage? If anybody is affected by this, what should they expect in the context of Tusla's specialised tracing?