Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

As other Deputies mentioned, the question arises about the length of time it is taking for these issues to be processed. We tabled a question in May 2012, the reply to which indicated that the work was under way and that the heads of the Bill would be published in 2012, but nine months later we are still waiting for the Bill to be brought forward. I do not know whether the Minister saw the report in the newspapers on 13 January on people's testimonies, including on the experiences of Phil Lynott's mother and others in trying to trace their parents. This is not good enough. Since 1975 people in Britain have had access to their birth certificates, yet 40 years on people here are still waiting for that opportunity, about which they are very stressed. Their parents are getting older and they want to find them. Unfortunately, in some cases, they have passed on. I hope the heads of the Bill will be introduced in this term.

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