Adoption

The High Court has criticised the wording of the Adoption Act 2010, stating that the terms used “needlessly hurt the feelings of people” involved in the adoption process. The comments came as the court was ruling on an adoption application for a child who had been in foster care since he

The Irish government has formally apologised to people affected by illegal birth registration. Roderic O'Gorman, the minister for children, equality, disability, integration and youth, placed the apology on the Oireachtas record as the Birth Information and Tracing Bill reached the Seanad yesterday.

A bill to modernise the legal framework for adoption in Northern Ireland has completed its final legislative stage. The Adoption and Children Bill will bring Northern Ireland in line with changes that were introduced in England and Wales in 2002 and in Scotland in 2007.

Proposed legislation which will provide a right of access to birth certificates, birth and early life information for people who have questions about their origins has been published. The Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 will give new rights to people who were adopted, boarded out, the subjec

Legislation to enhance and update the legal framework for adoption will be introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly after the summer recess. The Adoption and Children Bill aims to remove unnecessary delay and uncertainty for children by bringing Northern Ireland in line with the changes made in t

Adopted people will gain the legal right to access their birth certificates under proposed new government legislation. Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman yesterday published the general scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill, which will enshrine in law a right to access birth and early l

Dr David Kenny, assistant professor of law at Trinity College Dublin, argues the government's legal advice on the rights of adopted children is flawed and a referendum on the matter is not needed. As the country comes to grips with the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission and reckons yet a

Parents are set to be given an additional three weeks of paid parent's leave under plans agreed by ministers yesterday. New legislation to be introduced next year will expand the current entitlement for two weeks of paid parent's leave under the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019.

Family law solicitor Orlaith Traynor has been appointed as chairperson of the Board of the Adoption Authority of Ireland. Ms Traynor's appointment was announced by Children's Minister Dr Roderic O'Gorman following a public appointments process.

Adoptions from Russia accounted for the largest proportion of all intercountry adoptions into Ireland between 1991 and 2019, a new report on the practice shows. The Board of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the authority’s research advisory committee has published the second in a series o

The Supreme Court has held that Udarás Úchtála, the Adoption Authority, cannot lawfully refuse to register the separate Mexican adoptions of two young children in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions (the Register). Background

The High Court has granted an adoption order without the input of the natural father in circumstances where he did not have a relationship with the child, and where he had not responded to the adoption proceedings. Background

Controversial legislative plans to give adopted people access to their birth records have been dropped due to a failure to reach agreement with stakeholders. In a statement, Children's Minister Dr Katherine Zappone said the decision was taken following a period of "intensive briefings and consultati

The Adoption Authority of Ireland has been granted an order dismissing proceedings brought by a woman whose child was adopted in 1980. The woman was 16 at the time and submitted that the circumstances surrounding the adoption of her daughter entailed a breach of her rights. Granting the order to dis

Legislation that would give adoptees access to their birth records has been put on hold to allow further consultation, The Irish Times reports. Katherine Zappone, the Minister for Children, has paused the controversial Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill.