State urged to open 60,000 adoption files after success of Philomena

A campaign aimed at shaming the Irish State into opening an estimated 60,000 adoption files is gathering pace on the back of Oscar-nominated film Philomena.

The film, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, recounts the true story of Philomena Lee’s search for the son she was forced to put up for adoption through the Seán Ross Abbey mother and baby home in 1952 when she was aged 19.

Adopted people have no right to their adoption records, birth certificate, or medical records.

Information and tracing legislation for adopted people and natural parents has been promised as a priority by every Government since 1997.

Frances Fitzgerald, the children’s minister, had promised legislation would be brought forth by the end of 2012. That was put back until this year.

The Adoption Authority has consistently refused to inspect all files held by accredited adoption agencies, despite evidence that some knowingly arranged illegal adoptions.

Speaking in November, Ms Fitzgerald confirmed that no audit of adoption records was planned. As a result there are no accurate figures as to the number of adoptions which have taken place in Ireland or the extent of illegal adoptions.

Last month, she also claimed every adoption the State has been involved in since 1952 has been in line with adoption legislation.

Speaking at the launch of the Philomena Project, which will assist adopted people and natural parents to trace their relatives and lobby the State to grant access to adoption records, Ms Lee said her experience was similar to many Irish women who were forced into giving their children up for adoption.

“They told Anthony I had left him at two weeks old, that I had abandoned him. I reared him to three- and-a-half years, he was a lovely little boy. But I never got any answers to anything.

“I never knew anything about him at all. It was very sad to find out he had passed away, but at last I had found him,” she said.

Co-founder of Adoption Rights Alliance, Susan Lohan, said the issue of forced and illegal adoptions was on a par with the Magdalene Laundries.

“Philomena has acted as a touchstone now to give this more publicity. We think the vast, vast majority of children were taken without their mother’s consent and we need to talk about forced adoption. This is about people’s own identity. The burden of shame has to be transferred away from the women,” she said.