Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of requests that have been made for information under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, since the website was launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56991/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Information and tracing services under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 opened to applications on 3rd October 2022. As of 14th November 2022, a total of 5,351 applications for information have been received by Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland. Tusla have received 3,131 and the Adoption Authority of Ireland have received 2,220.

In addition, a total of 2,324 applications for tracing have been made, 40 to the Adoption Authority of Ireland and 2,284 to Tusla.

The initial surge of demand for services under the new Act presents some challenges for the two bodies in terms of processing the huge number of applications received. Both Tusla and the AAI are working hard to process applications for information and, as of 14th November 2022, information has been released in 181 cases.

Both agencies are doing their utmost to respond to all the applications received within the shortest possible timeframe and will continue to keep every person who is waiting for information informed about their application.