Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Kathleen Funchion TD, has this afternoon introduced legislation in the Dáil to ensure adopted people have a legal right to access their own birth certificate.

Speaking in the Dáil, Teachta Funchion said:

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to introduce this Bill today. It is the Civil Registration (Right of Adoptees to Information) Amendment Bill 2021 and it has one simple objective; to give every adopted person the right to access their own birth certificate.

“It’s something that a lot of people, including myself, very much take for granted and yet there are so many people who don’t have access to this very basic human right.

“This small but important legislative measure that I am introducing today will have an immediate impact for all adoptees.

“Time and time again, I have listened to survivors recount the impact that searching for their information has had on them. So many were given false information, they were lied to, they were sent in completely the wrong direction and they were made to feel like criminals.

“The need for this legislation has never been so essential. We cannot keep apologising to women and children without taking some action.

“I have continually called for survivors to be at the centre of everything we do in relation to this and this legislation is led by survivors. I would appeal to all TDs to support this legislation.”