Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, molaim mo chomhghleacaí an Teachta Funchion as an mBille seo a thabhairt os comhair na Dála. Is leasú simplí é seo ar an Acht um Chlárú Sibhialta, 2004, a thabharfadh cead d’uchtaithe a dteastais bhreithe a fháil nuair atá siad os cionn 18. Leasú simplí atá i gceist ach is leasú fíorthábhachtach é dóibh siúd a bhí uchtaithe.

Céard atá i dteastas breithe? Tugann an teastas seo eolas do dhaoine faoin am a rugadh iad, an lá den tseachtain a rugadh iad agus fiú an meáchan a bhí siad nuair a rugadh iad. Sonraí fíor-bhunúsacha iad seo agus is scannal é nach bhfuil an t-eolas sin le fáil acu siúd a uchtaíodh faoi láthair. Tar éis a foilsíodh an tuairisc faoi na hárais máithreacha agus leanaí bhí go leor caint ag Teachtaí faoin tábhacht atá ann dóibh siúd a tháinig slán as na hárais sin a bheith in ann teacht ar a n-eolas pearsanta féin. Is éard atá sa leasú seo ná an chéad chéim sa phróiseas, ach is céim fíor-suntasach é. Tá sé in am againn stop a chur leis an rúndacht agus an cur chuige teoranta a ghlac an Stát agus é ag déileáil le huchtaithe agus iad ag iarraidh teacht ar a dteastais bhreithe. Is ceart bunúsach daonna é an ceart aitheantas a bheith ag duine, agus tá sé thar am dúinn éisteacht leo siúd a tháinig slán agus an ceart bunúsach seo a thabhairt dóibh.

I commend my colleague, Deputy Funchion, on bringing forward this amendment. It is a simple amendment which will have a profound impact on all those who have been denied access to their personal information for far too long. The State has fallen short in many ways when dealing with adopted people. By withholding birth certificates, the State has withheld a piece of these survivors’ identities. They deserve the basic dignity of accessing their personal information. This is a fundamental human right that can no longer be opposed. These are matters that many of us take for granted, such as information about the day we were born or our birth weight.

This is just a first step on this road but it is a vitally important step. This legislation provides an opportunity to make that impact.

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