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

Section 34 provides in part for the ability of the AAI or Tusla to undertake tracing and request information from as wide a set of information sources as possible. The amendment proposes to remove the ability of these agencies to engage with a diocese or parish of the Roman Catholic Church or the Church of Ireland. The proposal is to remove those organisations from the process. They were added to the bodies that could be consulted in the context of a trace because of the existence of marriage and baptismal certificates. These documents, particularly baptismal certificates, are valuable sources of information, including names that can be used to facilitate a trace. Baptismal certificates were not included in the original draft of the Bill but they are included now. They can be a very good source of information. Guardians or godparents can also be identified on a baptismal certificate. This is also valuable information.

The process of consulting church records is invaluable in the context of the provision of a tracing service. To remove the ability to engage with churches for the purposes of requesting such important information would limit the ability of the tracing services. We do not see any benefit in that and, therefore, I cannot accept the amendment.