Proposed Birth Information & Tracing Bill 2021

mrslancaster · 22-05-2021 11:31pm #1

For anyone interested in this issue to give adopted people their own birth details.

Minister o'gormans Committee on Children, disability, equality & integration are inviting submissions on the proposed Birth Information & Tracing Bill 2021 from interested individuals or groups. Closing date 1pm Wednesday 9th June.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/14c5c-minister-ogorman-publishes-proposed-birth-information-and-tracing-legislation/

munchkin_utd · 27-09-2021 9:39am

It looks like the right to get your birth cert might actually now happen.

The Children's Minister is to make significant concessions on a Bill to give adopted people access to birth certificates and other personal information after hearing from those impacted.

Roderic O'Gorman is looking to drop a requirement that those looking for personal information must attend an information session conducted by a social worker in cases where their natural mother does not want contact.

While an information session will still be a component of "breaking the link between the release of information and any subsequent contact as a result of that release", Mr O'Gorman has decided that this meeting can happen virtually and no longer will have to be conducted by a social worker.

"Even where a mother has registered an opposition to the release of her name; it will be released in all cases following an information session. That is the enormous change that this proposed Bill brings," he will tell committee members of the Oireachtas Children's Committee on Tuesday.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40706777.html?fbclid=IwAR2UJpuwkZ4WsABpc-iFRt5i_otIZ-xYNxv89k2YGgnJ2deC8oz8wlfAVX8

mrslancaster · 09-11-2021 1:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117944187#Comment_117944187

Didn't ROG promise that legislation about information and tracing for adopted people would be passed before the end of this year?

That's looking unlikely with another delay on the cards for anyone affected, as two GDPR legal experts said that parts of ROG's proposed bill are not legal, and the drafters need to go back to the drawing board.

Rights of people who were adopted still being put on the long finger.

Birth tracing bill is superfluous to existing GDPR rights, lawyers say

https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2021/11-november/birth-tracing-bill-is-superfluous-to-existing-gdpr-rights-lawyers-say

Solicitors point to ‘error of approach’ in drafting of Bill

munchkin_utd · 12-01-2022 5:08pm

Theres now going to be some sort of body to allow tracing to natural parents/ siblings/ children and access to the original birth cert

The idiotic proposal to only allow information access through a social worker (seriously, what class of space cadet came up with that one!) is also to be scrapped.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/tracing-service-for-adopted-people-and-parents-to-be-in-place-this-year-1.4774746

Hermy · 12-01-2022 5:12pm

A major step in the right direction if this finally comes to pass.

mrslancaster · 25-01-2022 12:57am

Interesting debates last week about the new Birth & Tracing Bill.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2022-01-19/12/

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2022-01-20/31/

Hermy · 01-07-2022 11:53am

Never thought I'd see the day.

Today the President signed the Birth Information and Tracing Bill into law.

It's far from perfect but it's world away from anything we've had to deal with up until now.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0701/1307901-birth-information/

mrslancaster · 11-07-2022 9:43pm

Not personally affected by this but it's great to see this being passed after so many years campaiging by the various groups who were trying to bring our antiquated adoption laws into the 21st century. Those people who were adopted or had their birth certs falsified will be able to access their own personal information now, everyone has a right to know who they are.

munchkin_utd · 25-07-2022 9:15am

this is the website to add/ manage your info / request

https://www.birthinfo.ie/

I am still half shocked that they agreed to anything.

In the period from the peak of semi forced/ cajoled adoptions they have legalised divorce, contraception, abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, the country has had 2 female presidents followed by a socialist poet, the country has gone from mass-going to very much not mass-going, from 99% irish to a quite multicultural country, the country has changed massively but somehow this was a change that the government or civil service has had a massive inexplainable unwillingness to change in a proper and transparent way.

And its not as if it can be for fear of getting sued. FFS, they are finding billions to allow house owners to rebuild mansions built with dodgy concrete. Any financial hit on the state being involved in illegal adoptions would be miniscule in comparison.

It just makes no sense, unless theres darker forces at work (civil servants/ politicans/ advisors with a crisis pregnancy in the late 70s at an age of about 20 would be retired in the past few years .... so is it a simple coincidence that suddenly theres progress on adoption rights now ???)

Anyhow , beggars cant be choosers and when second class citizens get some rights you have to grab it when its there.

Apothic_Red · 03-10-2022 1:13pm

Bit of a fanfare about this going live today. I'd already logged in months ago & uploaded my data. Had one email back looking for my drivers licence but that's been it. Now the waiting begins.

tuisginideach · 03-10-2022 6:47pm

4 categories of relevant person are listed but I can't see a category allowing the child of a (now deceased) person to trace - am I missing something?

Hermy · 04-10-2022 10:00am

A good day for adoptees.

I lodged my application yesterday, and while I don't expect any new information beyond what I've already found out through my own trace, it will mean a lot to finally get copies of what I received before without the redactions.

Hermy · 04-10-2022 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119697046#Comment_119697046

Hi tuisginideach,

Go to birthinfo.ie and click What options do I have?

Then click a daughter or son or other next of kin from the left column and apply for records from the right column.

Then under Where are my records held? click Apply to The Adoption Authority and/ or Apply to TUSLA. [I applied to both]

This will bring you to the page with the Information Application Form which you can fill out online or download and send by post.

mrslancaster · 04-10-2022 11:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119698834#Comment_119698834

I will pass on that information to someone living in the UK - thanks. Quick question, do all enquiries need to go through the adoption authority or tusla? If my UK friend already has some information and wants to get original baptism data, can they apply directly to the church under this legislation?

tuisginideach · 04-10-2022 2:10pm

Thanks Hermy - don't know why I couldn't work that out for myself! Good job there's help available.

Apothic_Red · 19-10-2022 10:07pm

Just wondering if anyone has heard anything yet. I filled out the online application months before the Oct fanfare date but the site says I don't need to do anymore, fingers crossed

LennieB · 20-10-2022 9:09am

I know (from a Facebook group I am in) that people have been getting acknowledgements in the post. One or two people told they will get their information soon.

Pistachio19 · 24-10-2022 1:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119768300#Comment_119768300

Are you sure you didn't just register your details on the Contact Preference Register before October? From what I understand, applications for tracing, early life information were only opened on October 3rd. And as said above, people have had acknowledgement of those applications in the post via registered letters. It might be an idea to contact TUSLA to see if your application covered everything.

Apothic_Red · 25-10-2022 3:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119786715#Comment_119786715

I just read this in the FAQ so did nothing extra.

I presume the online portal I already filled out pre Oct was the NAPCR & my details had been moved onto the CPR. Then I remember an email I'd received requesting my driver's licence a few months back.

So is there a magic button I must push to start the process or is already in train. I'm confused.

Pistachio19 · 25-10-2022 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119791738#Comment_119791738

My understanding is that there was an older National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR) going back a few years - my husband joined it years ago. This year they updated to a new one - Contact Preference Register (CPR), and if new people wanted to register their details they could, while all the people on the old NACPR would have their information transferred. This register will match you with members of your birth family if any of them also join it.

However, if you are looking for early life information, or to trace your birth family, you will need to go back onto the birthinfo.ie website and fill out the necessary forms there to do so. There is a button for TUSLA and a button for AAI (Adoption Authority of Ireland). It appears your records will be with TUSLA so you can click on that one and follow the instructions. It is confusing but hopefully you will get whatever information you would like asap - I think once they have your application and are happy with identification, they should process it in about 30 days.

Hermy · 26-10-2022 10:16am

Can I ask did any of you receive the information booklet in the post?

I'm in the Midlands and it doesn't appear to have been delivered in anyone my neighbourhood and someone I know in Meath didn't get one either.

Apothic_Red · 27-10-2022 12:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119791919#Comment_119791919

Thanks for the advice.

So, yes, I had to go here

https://www.birthinfo.ie/what-options-do-i-have/apply-for-a-tracing-service

Then open a Tusla portal by re-entering the info I'd already completed on the Birth Info site.

Then you can only make one person the target of your search per application, so obviously I selected mother first.

When you go back to make another application for father/sibling/relation you have to submit a brand new application where none of your previous data is remembered.

It's cumbersome, I've left it at mother then for now, we'll see where it goes.

Thanks for the heads up on further steps being required, I thought I'd done everything months ago. I'm tech savvy, wondering if others like me are just sitting there waiting for a reply that will never come. Something badly engineered here.

MintyMagnum · 28-10-2022 8:06am

Read on a different site that someone had to pay for the postage?

Hermy · 28-10-2022 2:04pm

I got messages today from both TUSLA and AAI to say that due to high demand it will take longer than the initial 1 month delivery time to get my info to me.

MintyMagnum · 28-10-2022 2:47pm

You’re not alone it seems.

So if an adopted person went to the general register office now and produced their ID can they get their original birth cert? Or do they have to still jump through the tusla / AAI hoops?

Sharmela · 28-10-2022 5:34pm

Nope never did

Sharmela · 28-10-2022 5:34pm

Sorry to hear that, me too. 😞

Hermy · 28-10-2022 6:20pm

I'm not surprised or disappointed with the delays - I think it was always likely that demand would exceed the resources available.

The main thing is that there is now a law in place that recognises our right as adoptees to know the story of our past.

And hopefully most applicants will have their info for Christmas.

kazie84 · 28-10-2022 6:20pm

I also got this email today. The email said that they will need the extra 2 month’s extension in order to make sure they have all my information. I’d be very interested to see if anyone has received their information so far. Seems they are understaffed and unprepared for the amount of requested they have received.

MintyMagnum · 28-10-2022 8:59pm

Would it be too much to ask for it to be properly resourced?

Apothic_Red · 04-11-2022 9:10am

Chief Executive on radio this morning.

Out of 7,000 requests they've dealt with 65, seems very under resourced

Hermy · 04-11-2022 6:34pm

I was initially sanguine about possible delays - my attitude being that they were bound to happen and the main thing was that at least the battle to win the right to our information had been won.

But listening to Claire McGettrick on the lunchtime news yesterday explaining just how far behind TUSLA and AAI are in dealing with the requests it's clear that not nearly enough has been done by the government to ensure the timely implementation of this legislation.

Hermy · 15-11-2022 7:11pm

I have just received my file from TUSLA.

I have to say I am very happy with what they have sent.

There are three minor redactions, two of which relate to my birth mothers health and are unredacted in papers I was previously sent by TUSLA, and the other is just my parents names and address in my entry in the Adoption Register. I don't know why my parents names and address is redacted on the register image as these details appear repeatedly in other documents contained within the file. And I would prefer that there were no redactions at all but these amount to less text than this sentence I'm typing and the redacted information is already known or available to me so no big deal.

What I'm most happy about is the quality of the images of the documents. These are good quality full colour scans and they are clearly legible unlike the documents I was previously sent by both TUSLA and AAI when I requested my non-identifying information from them. This is significant because they contain letters written by my birth mother and adopted mother, both of whom are now deceased.

I began my search eleven years ago last month and, barring one or two loose ends, today I can finally draw a line under it. It's taken far too long to get to this point and there was never any good reason to deny me the right to access this information. I hope the rest of you receive your files in good time and that they bring you peace of mind.

Apothic_Red · 18-11-2022 8:30pm

I logged onto the Tusla portal last night. I had only submitted one request for a mother search. Decided to do a 2nd for a father, you have to repeat a lot of the personal data a 2nd time, it's not remembered which is annoying. Still nothing on my initial search

Hermy · 25-11-2022 2:15pm

I've since received my adoption file from AAI which contains much lower quality black and white scans which is disappointing.

I've been in touch with them about it and am hoping the matter can be resolved.

bornincognito · 20-12-2022 11:34pm

Hi everyone

I have seen that some people are getting e-mails saying that they won't get their information until later next year. I haven't received one of these e-mails. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's quite frustrating to be left in limbo like this. Is there anyone else here who hasn't received their info yet and hasn't gotten one of those e-mails?

Apothic_Red · 20-01-2023 3:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120020097#Comment_120020097

I recieved mine today, see attached.

mrslancaster · 24-02-2023 6:42pm

It seems incredible that minister RO'G and his department (who are responsible and accountable for this legislation) were surprised to receive a large volume of applications. Various groups that support adopted people and birth families have been talking about the numbers affected by adoption for many years - I can remember reading articles as far back as 20 years ago. Why they didn't anticipate the demand and increase the staffing to cope with it is baffling.

Funnily enough, it's the same department that is supposed to be managing the refugee and asylum systems which is also unsuccessful in trying to process the large volumes even though it was widely reported that those numbers would grow very quickly. Maybe the staffing resources are all engaged with the paperwork for the various childcare schemes - paperwork that is causing issues for both childcare providers and parents. Or maybe it's the new redress scheme for anyone affected by the Mother & Baby homes scandal, or any of a myriad of issues affecting citizens with a disability.

It seems every section of the DCEDIY is 'doing busy work' but there doesn't seem to be any group who come under their remit that are happy with the current service. It's a complete shambles.

Apothic_Red · 31-03-2023 1:38pm

Well they said I'd be waiting to July but it all arrived today, a 20 page PDF with names, adoption notes, scans, records, pretty much everything. Even a page of follow up notes with my adopted parents. Far more than I thought I would receive.

Now to digest.

LennieB · 31-03-2023 5:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120423466#Comment_120423466

That's great, it takes time to take it all in and can be overwhelming so mind yourself - to me it felt like reading about someone else. Good to have the info though.

Apothic_Red · 31-03-2023 8:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424610#Comment_120424610

It's a bit weird though.

You are given a name of your birth mother & father but no idea if they want to make contact or even know if I have the info.

I'm 99% sure I've already found my birth father online, I'm not going to make contact unless through TUSLA but there's no signpost where to go from here.

ahsurelookit1995 · 05-04-2023 12:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120423466#Comment_120423466

Did you get a heads up in advance or did all this info just arrive in your email?

ahsurelookit1995 · 05-04-2023 12:18pm

Just wondering if anyone is waiting on records from AAI only and were told you'd receive them in the autumn?

Apothic_Red · 06-04-2023 3:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120443296#Comment_120443296

Got an email to say there was a correspondance in my TUSLA portal, you login then bang, there it all is.

A few perfunctory PDFs then the big one with all your details. No mention of the birth mother being contacted in advance & no contact info for any future engagement.

Which meant my wife & sisters did their detective work & pieced together the whole family tree in about 2 hours. Between FB, Instagram, Linkedin & Google the whole family were there. Even found the father which I know is unusual.

So now I'm in the limbo of "knowing" them but presuming they don't know I exist. They seem to have good lives, I'm happy & have no plans to interact.

Hermy · 07-04-2023 8:42am

You are given a name of your birth mother & father but no idea if they want to make contact or even know if I have the info.

That's interesting Red - I hadn't thought of it like that before.

When I began my search a decade ago I was driven by the need for information rather than contact.

I was adamant about my right to know who my birth parents were but I was undecided about whether I wanted to meet them or not.

As it happened I had to make contact with each of them in order to confirm that they were my birth parents.

So when I eventually got my adoption file I wasn't stuck in the limbo you now find yourself in.

But I'm glad I did make contact and get to know a bit about my extended biological family.

And since then, despite all the upheaval and effort of trying to find them, each of us has drifted back into our own lives again and that's absolutely fine with me.

ahsurelookit1995 · 08-04-2023 4:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120448179#Comment_120448179

That’s a lot to take in and a bit overwhelming I would assume. All my details are with AAI and there’s no portal like you mentioned so I’m not sure how it’d work for situations like mine. I’m actually in search of any relevant medical information as now I have a few kids of my own and want to know if we are predisposed to any hereditary conditions etc. however, maybe as you mentioned there’d be a temptation to do a bit of Googling..

MintyMagnum · 13-05-2023 1:00am

Anyone receive docs by post?

MCBrowne · 24-05-2023 11:01pm

Hello,

Similar to a few others in the group, I got my records. The level of information was beyond what I expected to read. It's taken me since January and reading it several times to fully comprehend the information. However, around Easter time I got a call from a lovely man in Tusla who basically said that I was being assigned a social worker but due to the large volume of applicants, it wouldn't happen any time soon. Around a month later I've been assigned a social worker, who I'm meeting with next week.

Now I don't know what to expect from the meeting or how things will proceed but I wanted to let those of you who are in Limbo know, that you will eventually be contacted by a social worker. So far from my interactions with the social worker, they seem very nice and very proactive in their approach.

I too have off course gone down the Google path but I'm just not convinced if I've the right person.

Apothic_Red · 31-05-2023 1:58pm

I received a phone call from TUSLA last week just following up on the documents I'd received. Apparently I'd ticked the box requesting further contact with my birth relatives so they were just confirming that I wanted to proceed.

My amateur detective wife & sisters had already tracked down the family tree including 2 half brothers. I could see they were living a good life with young families & no longer felt compelled to interfere. I stood down my request for future contact. Knowing they are alright has fulfilled me.

Hermy · 01-06-2023 9:48am

Just my two cents Apothic_Red but I wouldn't see reaching out to birth relatives as interfering.

ahsurelookit1995 · 06-06-2023 10:48am

I received my file at the end of Easter. I had my BM name and village so I contacted the parish priest and asked him to forward on my details (just said I was an old friend). She subsequently got in touch and we’ve been emailing for a few weeks now. She seems like a nice person. She’s a HCA and married but no kids. I have BF name and village so might go down a similar route with him as BM doesn’t want anything to do with him!

Proposed Birth Information & Tracing Bill 2021

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Birth tracing bill is superfluous to existing GDPR rights, lawyers say