News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

A total of 85% of those added to the register in the past year are adopted persons (file image)

Thousands seeking personal data from Adoption Authority

Over 3,800 applications for birth certificates, birth information, early life, care, and medical information have been sought from the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) over the past 12 months through the Birth Information and Tracing Act.

Ireland • 03 Oct 23

A Contact Preference Register was introduced last July as part of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022

Thousands list preferences on new adoption register

More than 16,000 people have registered their contact preferences with the Adoption Authority of Ireland to date.

Ireland • 19 Sep 23

The decision upholds a Court of Appeal decision allowing the adoption to proceed

Mother's appeal against adoption of daughter dismissed

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a birth mother against the adoption of her child by her long-term foster mother.

Courts • 24 May 23

People wishing to make contact, to request privacy, or to seek or share information with a relative can make applications to the Contact Preference Register

Nearly 900 register contact preference after adoption

Almost 900 people have applied to the new Contact Preference Register since the Birth Information and Tracing Act was signed into law last month, the Adoption Authority of Ireland has said.

Ireland • 04 Aug 22

The Birth Information and Tracing Bill will be discussed before Oireachtas committee

Bill criticised over adoptee birth certificate access

An adoption rights campaign group has said a new Birth Information and Tracing Bill does not provide unconditional access to birth certificates for adopted people and is "deeply insulting" to them.

Ireland • 29 Jun 21

Roderic O'Gorman said he intends to use GDPR legislation to ensure that access to birth certificates and wider early birth information

New law to focus on personal rights to information

The rights of an individual to access personal information will be at the centre of new legislation on information and tracing.

Ireland • 10 Mar 21

Anne O'Connor found out she was illegally adopted aged 54

'I don't know who I am' - illegally adopted at birth

Ireland • 01 Mar 21

Since 2005 over 15,000 people have joined a register of birth parents who wish to meet their children or share information

Adoption Authority calls for information archive

The Adoption Authority of Ireland has called for the establishment of a national archive of information on adoptions "to honour and respect" the very sensitive and important historical information that exists.

Ireland • 16 Dec 20

Korean-born Kara Bos grew up in Michigan

Korea adoptee seeks recognition as birth father's child

A court will rule tomorrow in a landmark case on a Korean-born adoptee's demand to be officially registered as her father's child.

World • 11 Jun 20

The 2010 act consolidated existing adoption laws into one single piece of legislation

Most children adopted since 1991 came from 5 countries

Some 83% of children adopted in Ireland between 1991 and 2010 were from five countries: Russia, Romania, Vietnam, China and Ethiopia.

Ireland • 08 Jan 20

Minister Katherine Zappone said she wanted to allow for more consultation

Legislation on adoption records to be put on hold

The Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone has put a bill that will give adopted people access to their birth records on hold to allow for more consultation with stakeholders and the political parties.

Politics • 19 Jun 19

Katherine Zappone said the changes balance the right to privacy with the right to identity

Adoption bill on access to records 'a step forward'

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has said that changes to a bill that will give adopted people access to their birth records represents a major step forward.

Ireland • 12 Jun 19

Katherine Zappone has launched the paper which outlines the legal process in which fostering to adoption can happen

Foster care group launches paper on adoption

The Irish Foster Care Association has launched its position paper on fostering to adoption.

Ireland • 28 Nov 18

Tressa Reeves claims she was prevented from finding her son, Patrick, by the agency through which he was adopted

Adoption agency had no record of child's birth

A woman who claims her son was illegally adopted and that she was prevented from finding him, has said the adoption agency through which he was adopted, told her ten years later, they had no record of his birth.

Courts • 04 Jul 18

Katherine Zappone told the Dáil that people were 'lied to and denied information about their true identity'

Adoption Authority examines 140 new birth registrations

The Adoption Authority is examining approximately 140 births suspected of being illegally registered.

Adoption • 14 Jun 18

Clare Daly and Paul Redmond at the the Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors press conference in Dublin

Survivor group calls for urgent adoption action by Govt

The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors is calling on the Government to take urgent action to address the issue of illegal adoptions.

Adoption • 12 Jun 18

Katherine Zappone has said she plans to publish the report

Report on review of adoption records due by October

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has said the independent reviewer overseeing the targeted sampling of adoption records to uncover incorrect birth registrations, will report to her by the first week in October.

Adoption • 01 Jun 18

Kevin Battle struggled to find his birth mother because of incorrect records

Man adopted from Ireland finds family after DNA test

RTÉ's Washington Correspondent Brian O'Donovan travels to Portland, Maine, to meet Kevin Battle and hear his adoption story.

Adoption • 01 Jun 18

Dolores Quinlan did a DNA test and tried to find relatives that way

Adoption: DNA test led to discovery of mother

A woman who recently discovered that she was adopted unofficially has been describing how DNA testing has helped her find her biological mother.

Adoption • 30 May 18

'I think there should be an audit of all adoption agencies' -Theresa Tinggal

Adoption: 'We got her, but not in the legal way'

Theresa Tinggal, who was illegally adopted, speaks about her experience.

Adoption • 01 Jun 18

Leo Varadkar said the issue must be handled with the utmost sensitivity

Adoption issue is 'another dark chapter' - Varadkar

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has described the illegal adoption registration revelations as another dark chapter in the country's history.

Adoption • 06 Jun 18

Katherine Zappone said 'people have a right to know who they are'

126 had births incorrectly registered by agency

The child and family agency Tusla has said 126 people were incorrectly registered at birth between 1946 and 1969 by the former adoption society St Patrick's Guild.

Adoption • 30 May 18

James Reilly wants the age limit for adoption changed

Reilly in call to change age limit on adoption

The former children's minister has called on his successor to change an "offensive" and "antiquated" guideline that prohibits prospective adoptive parents from adopting children who are more than 40 years younger than them.

News • 20 Jul 16

Minister for Children James Reilly unveiled the draft Adoption Information and Tracing legislation this afternoon

Mixed reaction to draft adoption legislation

There has been a mixed reaction from adoptees' advocacy groups to Government plans to give adopted people a statutory right to information about their birth parents.

News • 28 Jul 15

Michael Noonan was speaking on his way into a Cabinet meeting at Lissadell

No sudden property tax 'shocks' in budget - Noonan

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said he is making a commitment that there will be no sudden shocks in the demands for the Property Tax.

News • 22 Jul 15