Reilly: Scale of illegal adoptions is unknown

THE Government has admitted it has no idea as to the scale of illegal adoptions and birth registrations facilitated by more than 40 mother-and-baby homes which closed in 1972.

Largely Church-run, the 42 homes closed in 1972 when the Health Act was enacted.

In a response to a parliamentary question by Socialist Party TD Clare Daly, Health Minister James Reilly said the scale of illegal birth registrations and illegal adoptions facilitated by mother-and-baby homes was “unknown”.