Ireland needs referendum to give adopted children the right to birth information

Flowers and figurines at the memorial to children from the Bethany Mother and Child Home at Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold’s Cross, Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mother and Baby Home survivors have called for a referendum to be held that gives a constitutional assurance that parents and children separated at birth can properly access birth information from the state.

In an at-times emotional appearance before an Oireachtas committee on Tuesday, several groups came together to call for a rethink on several aspects of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021.