Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am sure we all agree that last night's "RTÉ Investigates" programme on the impact of illegal adoptions was really shocking. The requirement for legislation on adoptive information and tracing is being brought forward by Senator Bacik in the Seanad tomorrow, a person who the Tánaiste acknowledged previously as a very good legislator. What are we going to do to ensure that those who were illegally adopted have legal certainty?

My former colleague, Joan Burton, published draft legislation in 2019, with Ms Anne O'Meara, who was impacted by illegal adoption. The Bill would allow people to go to the Circuit Court to get a declaration of adoption where there is not clear documentary evidence that their birth certificate would be admissible. There would be admissibility and they would have a court decision. What is the Government going to do to provide those who were illegally adopted with legal certainty into the future?

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