The shocking revelations in recent days in respect of the extent of illegal adoptions carried out by the St. Patrick’s Guild adoption society, run by the Sisters of Charity, have rightly caused much anger and angst. Successive Governments have known about this and have failed to act despite reams of evidence. The situation persists that there is no statutory basis upon which people can access information relating to their identities and health records. The Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016, which provides for a legal right of citizens to secure information about their adoptions and gives them statutory right to access their birth certificates, was mentioned yesterday. Sinn Féin supports the aims of the Bill but in its current from it has been subject to much criticism, including by the Adoption Rights Alliance. In the wake of the most recent controversy and even prior to it, there has been a commitment from all parties to progress the legislation. However, it needs to be done correctly. When will the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone, meet the various stakeholders and spokespersons to iron out the serious concerns that were raised so that this important legislation can be progressed?

The Minister is seeking to progress the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016, which will create for the first time a statutory right for adopted persons and persons who have been subject to incorrect birth registration, birth certificate information and certain other information. The intention is that the Bill would certainly be enacted by the end of the year. The Minister has invited various spokespersons on children to meet her on 13 June, the week after our non-sitting week, to discuss how we can progress this legislation. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, is very anxious to talk to other political parties so we can progress this quickly.

I wish to raise the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016. I have been speaking to a number of adopted people who, as is their human right, are looking for information about their birth including their birth certificates. They cannot get them because all the power lies with the adoption societies and their inheritor, Tusla. One women in her 30s has thought long about this and wants to know about her birth. She is entitled to that under the UN and European conventions on human rights. Some four years ago, she filled in forms and made the necessary contacts with Tusla. I presume they have by now put her on a contact tracing register. However, she has heard absolutely nothing. I have been in contact with her for many years. She accepts that it is going to take time. When I was Tánaiste I pursued this matter in private with each Attorney General and each Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Bill has stalled. Is the Government going to remove the barrier to people tracing their information, as provided for in the proposed Bill?

My understanding is that the reason the Minister, Deputy Zappone, is so anxious to bring this Bill forward is to try to deal with the very issue Deputy Burton is raising. I am aware that the Deputy has raised this before. We sat in Cabinet together and the Deputy has been vocal on this issue for many years. That is why the Minister, Deputy Zappone, wants to work with all parties in the House to progress the legislation, which has been frustrated and delayed - not on the Government's end - for the last months. That is my understanding. It is to be hoped that following the meeting of 13 June we will quickly see some progress.