Supreme Court hears adoption of girl against birth mother's wishes 'not proportionate'

The court was told there was no evidence that the Child and Family Agency explored family reunification during the girl’s upbringing

At the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Mary O’Toole SC, for the birth mother, said the adoption has the “life-long consequence” of extinguishing the legal link between Miss B, now aged 18, and her birth parents. File picture

Allowing the adoption of a 17-year-old girl against the wishes of her birth mother is "not proportionate" to the situation, the Supreme Court has been told.

The Court of Appeal (COA), by a 2:1 majority, gave the go-ahead last August for the girl, identified as Miss B, to be adopted by her foster mother who has continuously cared for her since she was a few months old.