A hidden heritage

“OUR whole social history as a nation is in those files and some of it is not pretty but it’s my heritage and it’s the heritage of 42,000 other people.”

The words of Angela Murphy, an adopted person, who like so many adopted people and natural parents is deeply frustrated at what are felt to be woefully inadequate tracing and reunion services.

Despite years of lobbying on the issue, Minister for Children Barry Andrews deems what is currently in place “an effective administration system” for tracing and information for adopted people and natural parents.