Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is similar to the previous discussion. Section 11 relates to the "Relevant body to provide early life, care information or incorrect birth registration information on application by relevant person aged 18 years or over". Subsection (2) states that, subject to subsection (3), a relevant body on application to it made under this section "shall, to the extent that it is practicable to do so, provide the relevant person with a copy of the records it holds". We are not just talking about the information. If the dates and care information are held in a letter, that is the record. It is not the case that people will be given a file saying, "You were in X or Y". They will be given a copy of the records as well. That was really important. The Senator has tabled an amendment that will be discussed later. In an earlier version of this Bill, we accidentally omitted the records. We replaced that on Committee Stage in the Dáil. It is not just information but also the copy of the records. By providing a copy of those records, we give that colour and texture of which the Senator speaks and a better understanding. It is not the bare information but the context as well.

The Senator made a wider point on the issue of release. I know from my engagement in the past two years with survivors and people who were adopted that there is deep distrust and deep dissatisfaction with how these issues were dealt with and the approach to the release of information. We are starting to change that through this very detailed Bill. We are not just leaving it there, however.We have the implementation group led by my Department, which brings together my Department, Tusla and the AAI to bring a joint approach to how we deal with requests for information and ensure the principle of release of information is at the core of what the Department, Tusla and the AAI are all doing.

Similarly, we have the guidelines that I will be issuing. Again, the guideline central to that will be the release of information. Third, we have resourcing. We have additional resourcing for Tusla and the AAI in order that they have the people, techniques and new skills within them to undertake the application of both the release of information but also elements like tracing. Therefore, we are doing what we can both legislatively but also practically and administratively to bring about that much-needed change in approach to the release of information. What the Senator is saying is right, but we are not just leaving it to the law. There are actions being taken on a range of fronts to change that culture.