Irish law should be changed to allow adopted children direct and unrestricted access to their birth parents, according to Philomena Lee, the Irish woman whose life-long battle to find her son has galvanised a worldwide movement for adoption rights.

Philomena Lee, whose life story inspired the Oscar-nominated film, Philomena, will be one of the main speakers at a two-day adoption conference in UCC on September 4 and 5.

Bill incorrectly assumes a child’s welfare is always best served by the relationship with the mother, writes Louise Crowley