Almost 300 adopted persons, birth parents, and other relatives in Donegal have now registered with the Adoption Authority of Ireland to state their preferences about making contact with birth relatives.
The new Contact Preference Register (CPR) was established on July 1 as part of the enactment of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022.
Since then, 172 adoptees in Donegal and 105 birth relatives have applied with their contact preferences.
A total of 16,634 people are now on the register across Ireland. On the CPR, 145 people (97 adoptees and 48 birth relatives) have expressed a wish to have no contact – all other applicants are willing to share information or are seeking contact at some level.
Persons wishing to make contact, to request privacy, or to seek or share information with a birth relative, can register their preferences via an application to the CPR, which is operated by the Adoption Authority of Ireland.
The Birth Information and Tracing Act provides legal entitlement, where available, to full and unrestricted access to birth certificates, birth, early life, care, and medical information for any person who was adopted, boarded out, had their birth illegally registered, or who otherwise has questions in relation to their origins. The new law also creates a statutory tracing service for those affected by adoption who are seeking to make contact with birth relatives.
Persons in Ireland and abroad who registered with the old National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR)– which was established in 2005 – will have their preferences migrated to the new register, bringing to 16,634 the total number of people on the CPR.
The CPR will remain open after birth information and tracing services begin, allowing people to register or update their preferences at any stage. Applications can be made at www.birthinfo.ie.
Adoption Authority CEO Patricia Carey said: “People in Ireland who were adopted, boarded out or had their birth information illegally registered have waited a very long time to gain access to their own information. Finally, from October 3, they will be able to apply for and receive unredacted information about their birth and earlier years.”
Free counselling services for birth parents or relevant persons affected are now available. Applications can be made by contacting Tusla at 0818 44 55 00 or by emailing BITCounselling@tusla.ie
