Mattie McGrath urges swift legislation on adoption disclosures
Deputy Mattie McGrath spoke in support of amending legislation to address past adoptions and disclosure of records, praising the minister's openness and media investigations. He urged the government to act quickly, saying the legislation is badly needed and has been long delayed.
Support for amending legislation
He complimented fellow deputies for bringing forward what he called "badly, badly needed amending legislation" and said he wished the minister well, describing the minister as open-minded and fair-minded despite recent events.
Praise for media exposure
He praised RT and the Prime Plan investigators for exposing abuses and "bringing it out in the open," saying the programme laid bare what went on and made the issue visible to the public.
Balance of rights and health concerns
He acknowledged two sets of rights to be protected - birth mothers and individuals who were adopted - and stressed the importance of allowing people the right to know for health reasons and for the future welfare of their families.
Criticism of official delays and cover-ups
He echoed another deputy's critique of officialdom, warning that faceless bureaucrats and a "plethora of official Ireland" had been involved in delays and cover-ups, and said elected politicians must be accountable to the public.
Call for prompt government action
He urged that the government embrace the bill and legislate soon, repeating that the measure is desperately needed and has been "so, so, so, so much delayed."
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I too want to compliment Deputy Function and Sinn Fein for bringing forward this badly, badly needed amending legislation and I want to wish the Minister well and I think he is open-minded and fair-minded regarding this in spite of what has gone on in the recent six months. I want to compliment, I don't often do compliment RT and the Prime Plan investigators in that programme for the brilliant exposures they did and you know bringing it out in the open and the fact that tax been laid bare to be able to watch went on so it's horrific really what happened. Obviously there's rights and two sets of rights here to be protected, the murders, birth murders and indeed the individuals who were adopted, most of them against the will of the murder back in the time. But look we are in modern era now, we must catch up to step with other European countries and look at Northern Ireland and England have dealt with this issue and dealt with it properly so it's vital, so vital that that we move forward with legislation. And I was interested in listening to Deputy Palatone and the critique he had of officialdom and if that is any semblance of truth in that, that they're dragging their feet and that, you know, the elected politicians have to come in here and be accountable to the opposition and to the public and the public decide our fate, you know, in the next election. But if people, faceless bureaucrats are in any way holding this up or delaying it or, and we know that they were involved over the years, which was a whole plethora of official Ireland and, and indeed all the aspects covered up in every sector, families as well have to take the blame. But now it's time to wash the linen, allow the people the right to know, so important for health reasons, so important for them if they have children going forward themselves as well. And I know there's two sets of values to be protected, there's two sets of rights, it's like a right balance. I think this bill is measured in that way and I think that they have to be complemented. So it's very important that we support and we are supporting the rule of independence definitely and I hope that the government will embrace it and will be able to have legislation or hit the legislation quite soon because it's so badly needed and it's so, so, so, so much delayed.
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