Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

With respect to my colleague's views, I have some difficulty with this amendment. I see merit in a suite of options being made available to adoptive parents and adopted children in both full and open adoption. I have no difficulty with the exchange of photographs and information updates on a birthday basis as this is quite normal. When birth mothers and adoptive parents meet, they often agree to do this for six or seven years or whatever. However, the issue of visits is quite something else and I say this, bearing in mind the interest of the child. We need to be very careful about the growth and development of the child and the confusion that can arise around identity. I am completely supportive of the child knowing from day one that he or she is adopted and knowing his or her rights, the right at 18 to search and to trace and to be supported. It is always very useful when the birth mother or parents have had an opportunity to meet the adoptive parents and this is discussed before the adoption is finalised. In the UK, open adoption is quite common but I would like to know more about the outcomes of this policy and the research showing how good this policy is for the child. The most important aspect must be the welfare of the child.

I acknowledge there will be exceptions where a birth mother may have difficulty raising her child and where a birth mother, in all sincerity, is not able to agree to full adoption for her child. In that case, open adoption may make it easier and it would serve the child well.

The teenage years are tough years for some adopted children. Every teenager has difficulties coming to grips with themselves, with puberty and with his or her own development. When the meeting of a birth mother or father is put on top of that, it is quite something. I would wait until the child is 18 and I wish to add that to the pot of the discussion.