Full State inquiry possible after 'deeply disturbing' review of adoption records

Special rapporteur on child protection to make recommendations on report within six months

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman. 

The Children's Minister has left open the possibility of a full State inquiry into illegal adoptions.

Roderic O'Gorman has described practices that were uncovered in an independent review commissioned by the Government on adoptions as "deeply, deeply disturbing".

A sample review of historic files from adoption agencies found no additional confirmed cases of illegal birth registrations However, it suggested that up to 20,000 "suspicious" cases exist.

Dr Conor O'Mahony, the special rapporteur on child protection, has been asked to examine the report and make recommendations within six months.

Mr O'Gorman said it is "appropriate" to ask Dr O'Mahony to "examine what are the next steps that the government can take in terms of looking at the sampling review, but also looking at other options that the government may take in terms of dealing with the issue of illegal birth registration".

Asked if the Government would consider a full State investigation, Mr O'Gorman said he has asked Dr O'Mahony "to come back with recommendations and we will look very closely at his recommendations".

Mr O'Gorman said that the files from St Patrick's Guild clearly indicated that illegal adoptions had taken place as the term "adopted from birth" had been written on files.

However, he said, in other cases such practices could be hard to prove:

The majority of times when it took place, it was covered up.

"It's a particularly unique situation in St Patrick's Guild, the illegal act was actually marked on these particular files," he said.

The review concluded that it cannot provide proof of illegal practices; rather it highlighted the potential for illegality in relation to the registering of birth records and sought out "markers" or "suspicious wording" on birth records that could potentially identify them as false. 

Adoption campaigners have repeatedly said that the review would be largely cosmetic in nature if it was confined to searching for markers rather than a forensic examination of records.

Mr O'Gorman said he will be bringing heads of bill for information and tracing legislation, which would allow adoptees access to their personal files, in the "next number of weeks".

"That will address the information gap that so many of those who are subjected to illegal birth registrations face,

Access to your birth search, and access to your wider set of very life information has to be absolutely central to, to the information and tracing legislation.

A similar Sinn Féin Bill to allow people access to their birth certs is due to be debated in the Dáil this morning.

Mr O'Gorman, who was speaking on both Newstalk and RTÉ radio, said additional measures to support the 151 people found to have been illegally registered by St Patrick's Guild will be introduced.

The proposals will help adoptees with succession issues and the rectification of identity documents, the minister said.