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Tuesday 27 October 2020
Writer Fionn Davenport says the government’s rushing through of legislation last night condemns survivors of mother and baby homes to 30 more years of darkness.
Minister Zappone said she was “personally deeply disappointed” that a consensus could not be reached on the issue.
Eileen Macken spoke to Liveline this afternoon about meeting her mother Elizabeth, who’s 103.
The woman’s adopted status is not well known and she was unaware she would have to discuss the topic in public.
The HSE told Tusla it hadn’t received any direction on this, despite the Department of Children believing it to be the case.
Arc Adoption was licenced to facilitate intercountry adoptions from 2011-2014.
Minister Katherine Zappone will deliver a keynote speech at the event which is exploring adoption and institutional abuses.
A new report on mother and baby homes has recommended the State give those affected a statutory right to access files.
There may be more people than the 126 identified so far caught up in the St Patrick’s Guild adoption scandal.
Minister Zappone has appointed an independent reviewer to oversee an analysis of tens of thousands of records.
The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors also called for a full national DNA database with free testing for all adoptees and illegal adoptees.
Joan Burton TD recalls her personal efforts to obtain information on her adoption and what legal reforms are now necessary after revelations on the faking of birth certificates.
The issue of adoption rights has been to the forefront in recent days.
Yesterday it was revealed that 126 children adopted between 1946 and 1969 weren’t registered correctly.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said, “This really needs to be dealt with with the ultimate sensitivity in the period ahead.”
People who were born between 1946 and 1969, who don’t have an adoption order, and were placed by St Patrick’s Guild may be affected by the revelation.
It’s similar to laws in at least five other states.
Adoption affects more of us than we realise. 900,000 people are directly affected by adoption or close to 20% of the current population of Ireland, writes Paul Redmond.
“I just burst out crying,” the 50-year-old woman says. “I really think this is the highest form of discrimination.”
The number of children in Romania’s orphanages has plummeted from more than 100,000 in the 80s to about 7,000.
Dogs Trust is repeating its warning to the public to not give dogs as Christmas presents.
“This shambolic process is now making me feel like a second class citizen – I’m being treated unequally because I’m adopted.”
The adoptions have taken place in the last four years.
On average 10 Irish children (the vast majority born outside of marriage) per month were adopted by American citizens in the early-to-mid 1950s.
Former Tánaiste said she found the letter “needlessly offensive” to adopted people and gay people.
People trying to find their birth relatives before they die have to wait two years to see a social worker.
It’s even caught Ellen DeGeneres’ attention.
Alan Stanford says, ‘Knowing you haven’t been forgotten is so important’
TV3′s Adoption Stories has followed up on Dan, adopted from Romania when he was three.
Nine years after being adopted by Irish parents, Liwen has settled in well.
Adopted children shouldn’t be prevented from contacting their natural mothers, Irish First Mothers founder Kathy McMahon writes.
My natural mother wants nothing to do with me and so I leave her in peace, however painful it is to do so.
Birth parents will be allowed declare if they do not wish to be contacted.
Paul recognised Maggie immediately when he met her for the first time.
“I was so happy those days, I was thinking ‘This is definitely right, this is my family’.”
There are currently over 6,000 children in the Irish care system but in childhood, as in life, the implication is that younger is better.
Solicitor Eileen King writes about why a group of lawyers are advocating a No vote this Friday.
LIKE ALMOST EVERYTHING this year, Halloween in 2020 will be a bit different from usual.
Large scale fancy-dress parties shouldn’t be happening under Level 5.
One thing we can still do, however, is watch some horror films.
There’s plenty to choose from ranging between the child-friendly to the very scary ones available on streaming platforms and set to be shown on TV in the coming days.
So, this morning we’re asking you: Do you plan to watch some horror films this Halloween?
Poll Results:
Share your story: voices@thejournal.ie
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