Adoption tracing is an emotional minefield

I READ with anger and disbelief your excellent report (April 19) on the adoption situation.

My oldest first cousin, Stephen, was removed, at age four, from his mother and adopted to the USA. My Aunt Kate asked me to find her son. I will never forget the day I had to tell her that her only son had died three years earlier in very sad circumstances. I believe she lost the will to live after that.

I got involved in helping other adult adoptees and birth mothers to make contact with each other, but I learned very quickly I was involved in an emotional minefield. I received a solicitor’s letter from a birth mother who just did not want to know and threats from adoptive parents who resented any contact from birth families. Though there were some good stories and good endings I came across a lot more pain and sadness. I was left with an overwhelming feeling that adult adoptees were treated appallingly by the Irish state.

I got involved politically with two interested groups in an attempt to give adopted people legal rights to a birth certificate. Though few in number, the people involved were extremely hard working and deeply committed to the task of achieving equal rights.

My involvement became less and less but I was aware there was acceptance by the main players in adoption and children’s rights – including adopted people, natural and adoptive parents, Barnardos, Council of Irish Adoption Agencies, Children’s Rights Alliance, Children’s Ombudsman – that information and tracing services should be included in the proposed Adoption Bill.

For the Minister for Children Barry Andrews to exclude tracing and information rights from the 2009 Adoption Bill seems to me insensitive beyond comprehension.

Jim Jackman

Park Drive Court

Castleknock

Dublin 15