Our outdated adoption laws must be changed to give people the right to their identity and treat everyone with the respect that they deserve writes Adoption Rights Alliance, Dr Aisling Parkes and Dr Simone McCaughren

Many adopted people believe that successive governments have refused to offer basic tracing and information rights until most victims of Ireland’s forced and illegal adoptions have died.

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 will be among the speakers at a two-day international conference in UCC next month.

Despite laws governing inter-country adoptions, questions still remain and need constant monitoring, write Dr Aisling Parkes and Dr Simone McCaughren