Mr. Bernard Gloster:

There were a number of questions there, so I will make the most effective use of the Senator's time.

I share that view with my colleagues. The Department will need to lead a process, with the Adoption Authority and Tusla, to scope out not just the resources required to give effect to what is intended in the legislation, but the resources to do so in a timely way that does not result in lengthy waiting periods. At the end of the first quarter of this year, we had approximately 800 people waiting for an information and tracing service. In terms of response times, they will wait somewhere between 13 and 23 or 24 months. Separately, we have had approximately 432 information requests this year under FOI or subject access requests, all of which have to be responded to within a statutory timeframe.

On the flip side, we have increased the number of information personnel. At the start of this year, we increased the number of tracing personnel in terms of social work staff who are approved to work in the service. The service has grown exponentially. Today, we have approximately 116 whole-time equivalent staff as well as a number of vacancies that are being filled through various processes. Quite a deal of work has been done. The actual number of staff is 135, equating to approximately 116 whole-time equivalents.

On the suggestion of just one agency, let me be clear. Regardless of whichever agency has dealt with a matter to date, the same legal complexities have prevailed. This view is not shared by everyone, but it is an important point to make.

As to one agency holding all of the information or conducting all tracing in future, we are a State organisation and whether that happens is fundamentally a decision for the Government. If the Government decides it is best to do that work in one place, then that is what is best and in the interests of the people. If the Government decides that, pragmatically speaking, the expertise of the authority and the agency combined is the best place to start from, we would support that view and carry out our functions fully in line with what they were intended to be.