State was aware of illegal birth registrations 'for decades' but did not act

The state was aware of the practice of illegal birth registration for decades before any serious action was taken, and its 'ad hoc, piecemeal, delayed' reaction to it 'has added significantly to the trauma caused', according to the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection. Picture: PA 

The Special Rapporteur on Child Protection has said the State was aware of the practice of illegal birth registration for decades before any serious action was taken, and its "ad hoc, piecemeal, delayed" reaction to it "has added significantly to the trauma caused".

In a damning report published on Monday, entitled proposals for a State Response to Illegal Birth Registrations in Ireland, Professor Conor O'Mahony also recommends the establishment of a truth commission on adoption, claiming illegal birth registrations "were not an isolated practice."