Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the long waiting lists encountered by adult adopted children tracing birth parents through the Health Service Executive, with such long lists resulting in an inordinate delay in the processing of such applications; the numbers of such adoptive persons whose applications for tracing services are waiting to be processed; the steps being taken to resolve the backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16480/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide details on waiting times for tracing services processed through the HSE. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

The Information and Tracing Unit in the Adoption Board provides an advice and referral service for those seeking to trace or to obtain medical or personal information. This unit provides services directly to adoptees, natural mothers and birth families. It also works closely with the registered adoption societies and the HSE nationwide information and tracing services. Improvements to this service have been effected by the computerisation of the unique adoption files held by the Board.

The National Adoption Contact Register was established in 2005 to assist adopted people and their natural families to make contact with each other, exchange information or state their contact preferences. They decide, through a range of information and contact options, how they wish to proceed. Already 440 matches have been made on the Register representing over 900 individuals who have now received a service. The operation of the Register was reviewed in 2007 and a major upgrading of it has just been completed.

The Adoption Board, together with the societies, the HSE and the support groups, developed the "Standardised Framework for the Provision of a National Information and Tracing Service". This was published in November 2007 and sets standards and provides guidance and advice for information and tracing services providers nationally. The standardised Framework is currently being piloted nationally. In relation to Information and Tracing for persons adopted from abroad, the Adoption Board intends to undertake a consultation process with interested parties to determine how best to address the needs of those adopted from abroad.

Registration of domestic adoptions is governed by Section 22 of the Adoption Act 1952. Under that provision, an tÁrd Chláraitheoir (Registrar General) is required to maintain a register of domestic adoptions (i.e. adoptions effected in Ireland, regardless of where the adopted person was born). The register is called the Adopted Children Register. An index to the register is maintained and can be searched by any person. Any person may obtain a copy of any entry in the register. The legislation also provides for an index linking the birth entry in the register of births (in the case of an Irish-born adopted person) with the entry in the Adopted Children Register. Information from this index may not be given to any person except by order of a court or the Adoption Board. I am aware that the treatment of adopted persons in this regard differs from the rest of the population but consideration of this issue must take place in the context of the complex legal, ethical and constitutional issues arising from the need to fairly balance the rights of all parties to the adoption process.