James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agaibh go leir. I would particularly like to thank Senators Power, van Turnhout and Healy Eames for the time and effort they have put into developing the Private Members' Bill, and Dr. Fergus Ryan, the legal expert who provided assistance in the process. While I do not oppose the Bill I must reiterate that I still foresee some constitutional difficulties with it, but it must be remembered that there are many positive outcomes to adoption.

I note that Senator Power, Deputy Anne Ferris and the Tánaiste, while recently highlighting the historic information and tracing dilemmas that the secrecy of Irish adoption led to, emphasised that they were brought up in a loving and nurturing environment. Senator Brennan said that also earlier. The lifelong support of their adoptive parents in their search for information about their identity was a positive force.

The evidence provided to me by the Adoption Authority indicates that mothers whose children were adopted in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s have not come forward in the numbers we would like to see. I take this opportunity again to encourage them and to make them aware of the register. I would also encourage those mothers to consider making contact with the Child and Family Agency or the Adoption Authority of Ireland where they will be afforded confidentiality, care and empathy and where, hopefully, they will feel able to assist their birth child in finding out where they came from. I thank again everybody involved.