Minister may not jail adoptees who contact parents

The Minister of State at the Department of Health is expected to announce he's dropping controversial plans to jail adopted people for contacting their biological relatives.

Adoption lobby groups are outraged at a new bill, which includes a provision to jail adoptive children if they try to make contact with the biological parents without their consent.

A two-day consultation process on the legislation is continuing today.

Minister for Children Brian Lenihan agreed it is a contentious issue and that the views of the groups concerned, including biological parents, adopted children and adoptive parents, must be heard.