Adoption Bill too restrictive - Rights balancing act

A law that recognises an adopted person’s right to his or her identity has been a long time coming. The Adoption Information and Tracing Bill will allow adoptees a right to their birth certificates.

While it is expansive in one way — by applying to both retrospective and prospective adoptions and including those who were subject to informal and illegal adoptions — it is restrictive in others.

Any adoption legislation is bound to be a balancing act between the adoptee’s right to identity and the birth mother’s right to privacy, but the latter’s right appears to be paramount under this Government measure.