Government must act on recommendations of ‘Mother & Baby Homes’ report – Matt Carthy TD
Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, has welcomed the report by the Government’s Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Professor Conor O’Mahony, into illegal adoption practices in the State. The report has called for a full State apology, a thorough investigation to determine the scale of illegal adoptions, correction of the birth register and for the Birth Information and Tracing legislation to allow full and unqualified access to personal information as a matter of urgency.
The Cavan Monaghan TD said it was now incumbent on the Taoiseach and Minister to promptly implement those recommendations.
Deputy Carthy said:
“The state was aware of this criminal practice of agencies and individuals involved in the ‘adoption trade’ in this state for decades and did nothing.
“It should never have taken an episode of RTÉ Investigates to bring this issue to the fore and apply pressure on government to achieve the progress that has been made.
“That said, the offer of a once off payment of €3,000, compounded by the deeply flawed Birth Information and Tracing legislations currently progressing through the Dáil, represents an insult to those affected.
“Professor O’Mahony clearly finds the need for a full and comprehensive investigation into these practices, in-line with what those people adopted have been calling for decades.
“The state should take responsibility for the part it played, and should begin by taking these recommendations on board, and act to uncover any criminal activity, including those responsible.”
ENDS
