Birth records system condemned

THOUSANDS of adopted people will be blocked from independently accessing their birth records under a new computerised public record system, an adoption group warned yesterday.

The Adopted People's Association (APA) is furious the situation will force people to deal with the country's adoption agencies, instead of accessing records independently.

"Our members have complained time and time again about the lack of help, understanding and respect from these agencies," said APA chairman Anton Sweeney.