Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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968. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to ensure that all persons whose illegal birth registration is established in the future are entitled to financial support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63816/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Recommendation 16 of the report by the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection is that provision should be made to cover legal costs associated with a declaration of parentage of persons affected by illegal birth registrations. Through the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, the Government has introduced new mechanisms to formally recognise the lived identity of those affected by illegal birth registration, including in relation to parentage. These mechanisms are delivered via the General Registration Office at no cost to the individual. In addition, the Government approved a single once-off payment of €3,000 to each individual whose illegal birth registration has been confirmed by Tusla.

Recognising the costs which may arise in engaging with the reality of a confirmed incorrect birth registration, this single once-off payment of €3,000 is intended as a contribution towards those costs. The payment is provided on an ex-gratia basis. While it could be used for DNA testing, Tusla has covered the costs of DNA testing for individuals in cases where records were insufficient to confirm an illegal birth registration and will continue to provide this support.

Accordingly, the scheme provides, on an ex-gratia basis, a single once-off payment of €3,000 to each individual whose illegal birth registration has been confirmed by Tusla on or before the date of 30th September 2022. In October 2022 I formally requested Tusla to administer the payment to affected individuals and provided funding for this purpose. As the relevant Minister, I have the option to review this cut-off date should Tusla confirm additional cases of illegal birth registrations in the context of its work under the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022.