Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the amendment. I have followed the debate in the House and I know that Senator Power, who has a personal interest in this matter, has put forward a Bill in the House in this regard. I agree with her that there should be some mechanism. I am unsure at what stage the child should be made aware but it should be done at some stage either in adolescence, at 16 years, 18 years or whatever. Within that sphere there should be some mechanism whereby the child becomes aware of being adopted. If that is the case, and it is known, parents will take the preliminary steps to prepare their child for receiving such knowledge. I am aware that in many instances parents will tell their child as they are growing up. They will tell them limited information that can be absorbed at that stage. Such a revelation does a lot to ensure the avoidance of any dislocation of the relationship with the parents or any psychological effects that might occur when the child finds out at a later age.

I urge the Minister to take a look at this matter to see what might be done. I do not have any great insights into the matter other than to say I agree fully with the principal objective of what has been said. The onus is on the State to ensure the information is conveyed and that it is not just in later life that someone accidentally stumbles across the fact when the discovery can have a fairly traumatic effect on that person.