# Adoption

This year

2023

# Stolen

'Witnesses telling their stories, while they're still alive, is very powerful'

Stolen, a new documentary, explores mother and baby homes in Ireland.

19.3k

Feb 26th 2023, 8:00 AM

# redress scheme

'Mothers had their children ripped out of their arms': 24,000 people excluded from redress

The Mother and Baby Home redress scheme was sharply criticised by the opposition in the Dáil this evening.

21.4k

Updated

Feb 1st 2023, 9:00 PM

# Institutions

'Four lives were ripped apart': Woman plans legal action over mother's exclusion from redress

Mary wanted to raise her three children, but they were all taken from her. She died before she got justice.

Mary wanted to raise her three children but they were all taken from her, Órla Ryan reports

Her daughter is considering legal action over the fact Mary is excluded from the Mother and Baby Home redress scheme

"All of us were treated like criminals. The cruelty is just beyond words."

20.3k

Jan 15th 2023, 12:05 AM

# Adoption Authority of Ireland

Officials warned that lack of social workers would delay giving adopted people their records

New documents reveal that officials in the AAI and Tusla had raised concerns about difficulties recruiting staff in the months leading up to the Birth Information and Tracing Act coming into effect.

New documents reveal that officials in the AAI and Tusla had raised concerns about difficulties recruiting social workers, Órla Ryan reports

In December, adopted people were informed that they may not receive their records until autumn 2023

In the months leading up to the Birth Information and Tracing Act being enacted, efforts were made to hire more staff

7.3k

Jan 4th 2023, 12:05 AM

Last year

2022

# Podcast

Redacted Lives: Catch up on our documentary series about Mother and Baby Homes

The six-part series follows survivors as they search for loved ones, answers and justice.

4.8k

Dec 27th 2022, 10:00 PM

# Podcast

Redacted Lives: Final episode explores redress and plans to excavate Tuam mother and baby home site

The final episode in the series features an interview with Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman.

In the sixth and final episode in the series, A Living Wound, we hear from Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman

Also in this episode, survivors explain why they disagree with the Government’s approach to redress and other issues

As Maria Arbuckle said: "“Five grand isn’t going to change my life. My son being taken off me changed my life."

11.8k

Updated

Dec 15th 2022, 11:00 AM

# redacted lives

'I don't want to die not knowing': Adopted people share their search to find their identity

The penultimate episode of Redacted Lives follows people on their search for relatives and information about their early lives – and the jubilation and heartbreak that journey can bring.

The penultimate episode of Redacted Lives follows people on their search for relatives and information, Órla Ryan reports

"I'm getting older now, I don't want to die not knowing," Marguerite Penrose tells us

One man who believes he was illegally adopted also shares the impact this has had on his life

17.9k

Dec 11th 2022, 12:05 AM

# AAI

Adopted people 'disgusted' and 'distraught' they might not get their records until autumn 2023

The AAI wrote to people today, confirming further delays.

26.0k

Updated

Dec 9th 2022, 7:20 PM

# high walls

Redacted Lives: The second episode of our new documentary series is out now

High Walls explores how and why so many unmarried mothers and their children were incarcerated in Ireland.

In 20th century Ireland, the Catholic Church exerted huge control over almost every aspect of people’s lives

Becoming pregnant outside marriage was viewed as one of the most shameful things a person could do

High Walls explores how and why so many unmarried mothers and their children were incarcerated in this country

25.1k

Nov 17th 2022, 6:00 AM

# Adoption

Tusla and AAI given new tracing powers after 'technical issue' arises with Birth Information Act

An amendment is being made to the Birth Information and Tracing Act, six weeks after it became law.

7.4k

Nov 16th 2022, 11:15 AM

# tracey 1735

Redacted Lives: The first episode of our new documentary series is out now

The Journal has launched a new podcast series that explores the experiences of people who passed through mother and baby homes.

More than 100,000 people spent time in these institutions in Ireland Their crime? Getting pregnant, or being born, outside marriage

Decades later, their search for answers continues

46.8k

Updated

Nov 13th 2022, 7:00 AM

# redacted lives

'Pregnant from Ireland' - A term many people didn't know until recently, even the women themselves

Redacted Lives, a new podcast series about mother and baby homes, was released this week.

Redacted Lives, a new podcast series about mother and baby homes, was released this week

Episode one explores a certain term you may not have heard before: 'Pregnant from Ireland'

Some women labelled PFIs were brought back from the UK to Ireland against their will, like Terri Harrison

47.1k

Nov 13th 2022, 12:05 AM

Voices

Opinion: 'I still don’t know why my name is Claire McGettrick and not Caitríona Palmer'

Adoption Rights campaigner Claire McGettrick says her ‘heart sank’ when she received the PDF of her records.

19.7k

Nov 4th 2022, 7:00 AM

# redacted lives

Redacted Lives: New podcast will explore how families were torn apart by Mother and Baby Homes

Survivors of the mother and baby home system are finally telling their true stories.

12.8k

Nov 1st 2022, 6:00 AM

# bessborough

'You're a Quinn, you're one of us': Woman adopted to US in 1960 finally meets her Irish family

After years of searching – and having the wrong name for her father – Mary Jo Sullivan met her family.

Mary Jo Sullivan spent her early years in Bessborough mother and baby institution in Cork, before being adopted to the US in 1960

After years of searching - and having the wrong name for her father - she finally met her family in September

'Search angels', DNA and a photograph made it happen, Órla Ryan reports

61.4k

Oct 31st 2022, 12:05 AM

# tusla

Waiting time for adopted people to get birth information triples to 90 days

Tusla and the AAI are finding it “difficult” to process and respond to all applications due to the high demand.

9.8k

Oct 28th 2022, 8:56 PM

Voices

Holly Cairns: Calculating redress based on length of time in an institution is just wrong

The Social Democrats TD says the government’s redress scheme fails to consider human rights violations perpetrated on thousands of women and children.

7.8k

Oct 19th 2022, 7:00 AM

Voices

Opinion: Last week, birth information became accessible - but the law doesn't go far enough

Adoption rights campaigner Claire McGettrick says the State’s recent conduct in this area must be recognised as a war of attrition.

9.4k

Updated

Oct 11th 2022, 10:20 AM

# information and tracing act

More than 800 applications made for access to birth information since system opened yesterday

The new law allows people who were adopted or boarded out to access information about their origins.

7.0k

Oct 4th 2022, 5:39 PM

# information and tracing act

'A historic moment': Adopted people can access information about their birth from today

The new law allows people who were adopted or boarded out to access information about their origins.

16.9k

Updated

Oct 3rd 2022, 10:20 AM

Voices

Opinion: 'Travelling to Limerick in search of college digs as a care-leaver felt so lonely'

Rory Brown grew up in care and says education changed his life. He’s asking the government not to forget children in care in Budget 23.

21.7k

Sep 18th 2022, 7:45 AM

# Adoption

Information and tracing services under Birth Act to begin from next month

On 3 October applications for birth records can be made to the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla.

6.9k

Sep 12th 2022, 1:02 PM

# access to records

Almost 900 people sign up to adoption tracing system - 32 have 'no contact' preference

A total of 891 adopted people and relatives applied to the new register in July.

13.5k

Aug 4th 2022, 10:17 AM

# birth information bill

Adopted people will finally get access to records after President signs Bill into law

The Bill provides for the release of an adopted person’s birth certificate and early life information.

10.7k

Jun 30th 2022, 2:34 PM

# St Patrick's Guild

'It's an insult': €3,000 payment for people who were illegally adopted criticised

The payments will only apply to people whose illegal adoptions were facilitated by St Patrick’s Guild.

36.5k

Updated

Mar 14th 2022, 3:45 PM

# boarded out

'This will haunt the Government': Call for extension of MBH redress, or for new Commission to be held

“If you don’t want to compensate people for violating their human rights, don’t violate their human rights.”

12.9k

Mar 6th 2022, 7:00 AM

Voices

Opinion: Our rights as adopted people will not be enshrined in law, they'll be in grave danger

Adoption rights campaigner Claire McGettrick responds to the new Birth Information and Tracing Bill.

8.6k

Jan 21st 2022, 7:00 AM

Voices

Roderic O'Gorman: We hope today's legislation will right decades of wrongs against adopted people

Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman reacts to the new Birth Information and Tracing Bill launched today.

7.9k

Updated

Jan 12th 2022, 2:00 PM

# New Law

Adopted people will no longer have to attend mandatory information session when seeking records

The long-awaited Birth Information and Tracing Bill will be published today.

13.9k

Jan 12th 2022, 6:30 AM

# Vaccine Trials

Mother told daughter would 'get a needle in her arm every day' until she signed adoption papers

Sally McAndrew says nuns threatened to put her in a vaccine trial when her mother put off signing her adoption papers.

Sally McAndrew says nuns threatened to put her in a vaccine trial when her mother put off signing her adoption papers

'Every day you don’t sign, your daughter is getting a needle in her arm and will be screaming in pain'

Sally says her biological father received her home address when he paid £5,000 to nuns, Órla Ryan reports

89.0k

Jan 12th 2022, 12:05 AM

All time

# burials bill

Tuam site may finally be excavated in 2022 - five years after 'significant' human remains found

The long-awaited Burials Bill and the Birth Information and Tracing Bill are expected to be published in the next two months.

The site of the former mother and baby home may be excavated five years after a "significant" quantity of human remains were found

Survivors, relatives and archaeologists have called for the Tuam site to be excavated urgently, Órla Ryan reports

The long-awaited Burials Bill and the Birth Information and Tracing Bill are expected to be published in the next two months

12.0k

Dec 24th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Netherlands

'My mother didn't want people to know I existed': One woman's mission to find her identity

The woman who set up a register to reconnect people who passed through the Mother and Baby Home system in the Netherlands wants to share her knowledge with Ireland.

61.8k

Dec 11th 2021, 8:00 PM

# response to redress

Government will not oppose motion for review of redress scheme for Mother and Baby Home survivors

Survivors’ groups gathered at Leinster House today to call for the redress scheme to be amended to better meet the needs of survivors.

14.0k

Updated

Nov 23rd 2021, 8:40 PM

# mother-and-baby homes

Over 30 experts ask O'Gorman to change redress scheme so it considers 'impact of early trauma'

People who were born in a mother and baby institution but spent less than six months there are excluded from the scheme.

12.9k

Nov 22nd 2021, 4:23 PM

# mother-and-baby homes

'They're waiting for more of us to die': Women whose children were taken react to redress scheme

The Government’s long-awaited Mother and Baby Homes redress scheme was unveiled during the week.

The Government's €800 million Mother and Baby Homes redress scheme was unveiled during the week

Women say basing compensation on their length of stay in an institution is "absolutely disgraceful"

The exclusion of many people born in institutions is a "divide and conquer" strategy, survivors tell Órla Ryan

21.4k

Nov 21st 2021, 12:05 AM

# mother and baby homes

'Gardaí returned women who escaped': Philomena Lee & Mary Harney challenge Commission in High Court

The women are seeking to have elements of the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes quashed.

53.5k

Updated

Nov 17th 2021, 5:10 PM

# Commission

Mother and Baby Homes: 34,000 survivors eligible for compensation in €800m redress scheme

The Cabinet signed off on the details of a long-awaited redress scheme today.

31.4k

Nov 16th 2021, 2:13 PM

# compensation

'Can you put a price on trauma?': Redress scheme for survivors of mother and baby homes ready

The Cabinet is set to sign off on the details of a long-awaited redress scheme later today.

5.7k

Nov 16th 2021, 6:00 AM

# Adoption

40 years of nothing, then a message saying 'I'm your son': Mother & son reunite after 4 decades

A Facebook friend request earlier this year changed Maria Arbuckle’s life forever.

Maria Arbuckle was sent from Armagh to St Patrick's mother and baby home in Dublin in 1981

She spent the next four decades trying to find her son, Paul

A Facebook friend request earlier this year changed her life forever, Órla Ryan reports

77.5k

Nov 13th 2021, 12:05 AM

# Tuam

UN experts warn Burials Bill may 'create obstacles' to examining deaths at Mother & Baby Homes

The proposed legislation raises “serious concerns in relation to the State’s compliance with its international legal obligations”, the groups note.

15.7k

Nov 10th 2021, 5:19 PM