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Dr Katherine Zappone TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, today announced that last Friday 18th May, her Department initiated a review in respect of the potential introduction of open or semi-open adoption in Ireland.

The Minister on accepting the amendment in Seanad to the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 to undertake this work said,

Open adoption generally means a form of adoption in which the biological or adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other's personal information and an option for contact. However, we will need to reach a better understanding of what we mean by these terms.

The review and subsequent consultation will need to consider the implications of:

• The provisions of The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016. This Bill provides for the first time a statutory entitlement to identity information for adopted persons. It also provides for contact between adopted persons and their birth parents in certain circumstances, and
• The broader review of the entire Adoption Act 2010 which the Department has committed to undertake. It will identify operational and policy issues that may need to be addressed to ensure that all aspects of our adoption legislation reflect modern society.

The outcomes of this review and subsequent consultation will also be influenced by a variety of issues including: the legal and constitutional issues in relation to the status of the family under the Constitution, the impact of the referendum on children’s rights and any family relationships legislation. The views of a wide range stakeholders and people who are affected by adoption will be considered.   

A report on the findings of the review and consultation will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas not later than 18 months after its commencement, i.e. by Friday 15 November 2019.

In conclusion the Minister said,

My Department's overriding approach to any proposed change in adoption policy is that the primary focus is what is in the child's best interests.