Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I support this amendment. On Second Stage I spoke about the need for the legislation to deal with the principles of tracing and the move towards open adoption, of which tracing is obviously one part.

Over the years there have been inconsistencies in practice between agencies, as the Minister of State will be well aware. I welcome the best practice model and I hope that will be widely implemented because that is what is needed.

I welcome the Minister of State looking at this and seeing if there is some way in which he can build it into statute because that is the right way to go. People have had unnecessary difficulties. On both sides, whether it is the adoptive parent or the person trying to trace his or her family, there have been difficulties. This is a good amendment. I ask the Minister of State to look at both of these amendments.