Irish News & Events

Information and tracing services are going to open on Monday 3 October 2022. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has established a new website, https://www.birthinfo.ie/ where all of the key information on the legislation and how affected persons can avail of information and tracing can be found.

Information and tracing services are going to open on Monday 3 October 2022.

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has today signed the Order providing for Birth Information and Tracing Services under the new Birth Information and Tracing Act to be available from 3 October.

The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 was signed into law by President Higgins on 30 June. Minister O’Gorman commenced the first parts of the Act on 1 July with the establishment of the Contact Preference Register and the launch of the Public Information Campaign. The Act provides that the Contact Preference Register must be open for a minimum period of 3 months before applications for birth information can be accepted. Having regard to that timeframe, today the Minister signed the Order which will commence information and tracing services from 3 October.

This landmark Act was long awaited by many, and provides a full and clear right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information, where available, for all persons who were adopted, boarded out, the subject of an illegal birth registration or who otherwise have questions in relation to their origins. It also allows for access to available information by a child of a relevant person where their parent has died, and for access by the next of kin of children who died in an institution.

The Act also creates a statutory tracing service which will open for applications, as well as a range of new bespoke measures to address issues arising for people affected by illegal birth registration. A broad spectrum of counselling and support will also be provided to persons on request. All of these services will be free of charge for applicants. In addition, the Act provides for the safeguarding of important records and is, therefore, a valuable foundational step in the development of the planned National Centre for Research and Remembrance.

In July 2022, a new Contact Preference Register, operated by Adoption Authority of Ireland, opened to applications. This Register empowers people to record their preferences in relation to contact with others and the sharing and receiving of information.

A comprehensive public information campaign also launched in July 2022 to inform people of the important services to be provided for under this new Act. This campaign included the delivery of an information booklet to all households in the country, and had a local, national and international focus.

On 3 October 2022, Information and Tracing services under the Act will open. Applications for records can be made to the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. A bespoke website, www.birthinfo.ie, has been established for persons seeking to make an application or seeking further information.

Speaking about the Act, the Minister said:

“This Act finally and conclusively addresses the wrongful denial of people’s identity rights over many decades in this State. We have finally found a way to provide a clear right for each person to full and unredacted access to all of his or her information where available. Now, as all affected persons will be able to avail of these new provisions, allowing unfettered access to their birth information, we will be able to see the positive, real world impact of the work we have undertaken on this Act.”

Source: https://www.birthinfo.ie/updates/information-and-tracing-services-under-the-birth-information-and-tracing-act-to-open-from-3-october

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“On the day that the Irish Government has published the Payment Scheme for the survivors of mother-and-baby homes it is important to recognise the particular legacy of trauma and hurt felt so deeply by those survivors living abroad, most particularly in Britain, which is home to the largest number of survivors outside Ireland. I would like to especially acknowledge how difficult this year has been for all survivors, their families and for those communities that have been working on behalf of the survivors. 

As Minister with special responsibility for the Diaspora, I am committed to working closely with colleagues across Government to ensure the needs of those survivors living abroad continue to be reflected in implementation of the Scheme and the Action Plan.  Though our Embassies and Consulates we will work closely with the Department of Children, Equality , Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to communicate back to those survivors and to their representatives living abroad.

The publication of the Action Plan, including the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme has been keenly awaited by former residents of these institutions, including those survivors living abroad.  The Scheme means that survivors living abroad will have access to a financial payment on the same basis as those living in Ireland, and will also have access to either an enhanced medical card or a once-off payment in lieu of the card.  

Having a dedicated point of contact for those living outside Ireland is a particular request that has been conveyed strongly to us by Irish community and welfare organisations worldwide.  Work is currently underway on the development of an enhanced model of engagement involving a dedicated Advocate for survivors and former residents.  It will be important that any “Advocate” has the necessary resources to properly engage with the particular concerns of survivors living abroad. 

I welcome the proposal for a central repository for records and my Department would be willing to transfer the files under its remit to this repository.

One of the primary objectives of Ireland’s new Diaspora Strategy, which I had the honour to launch a year ago, is to heal the relationship with our emigrants who left Ireland as a result of discrimination or as victims of institutional abuse.  I am glad to confirm that through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme, the Department of Foreign Affairs will be providing further support to Irish community organisations working with and on behalf of survivors living abroad in 2022.”