Thousands may sue over illegal adoptions

A High Court decision to allow a woman who claims her baby was put up for adoption in the 1970s without her permission to sue for damages could open the door to challenges from thousands of women who had their children taken from them in forced and illegal adoptions.

The woman is suing a religious order and the HSE, as successor to the adoption agency which arranged the placement of her daughter more than 40 years ago, claiming the adoption was done without her knowledge while she was a resident with the order. She is not contesting the adoption order.

The woman claims she was not even consulted when, as a teen mother, the baby was taken for adoption. She says that she suffered psychological harm, among other injuries, due to the defendants’ alleged negligence, breach of duty, and breach of her constitutional rights.