Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wanted to speak in general terms regarding those amendments. I appeal to the Minister to accept them. These are reasonable amendments. It is worth acknowledging the trouble, time, research and engagement put in by the proposers of the amendments. The amendments may need to be tweaked and changes made to them and the Minister will articulate her views on them, which I will be interested to hear. It is worth acknowledging the contribution and work that Senators have put into this important legislation.

We are dealing with the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016. In summary, it seeks "to amend and extend the law in relation to the adoption of children; and, for that purpose, to amend the Adoption Act 2010; to provide for the repeal of Part 11 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015; and to provide for related matters". These are reasonable amendments. They have been tabled on foot of engagement with people who have experience of adoption, families who have experienced it and people who were adopted or in situations around it. It is important that there are contact guidelines. People have rights and an entitlement to have some contact with their families connections and roots. We all want to know who we are and where we come from. There are blips in family relationships and there may be circumstances at one point in time that contribute to something but they do not always stay the same. There is that sense of connection and sense of family. All these amendments are reasonable, although they may need some tweaking, and I want to hear what the Minister has to say about them. In general, I am supportive of them. Again, I acknowledge the enormous amount of work that some Senators have put into this legislation.