The landmark Birth and Information Tracing Act was enacted last month.
29 adopted people in the midlands have registered their contact preferences under the new Birth and Information Tracing Act.
The landmark legislation - enacted on July 1st - provides legal entitlement to unrestricted access to birth certificates and medical information for anyone who was adopted, had their birth illegally registered, or who otherwise has questions about their origins.
Of the 29 adoptees who registered, 15 are in Westmeath, 10 in Offaly and four in Laois.
Four relatives in the region have also registered their contact and privacy preferences with the Adoption Authority.
Free services will open in October to allow adoptees full access to the all of their birth information held by the State.
A total of 891 people applied to the new Contact Preference Register last month.
Of those, 786 applications were from adoptees, 90 were from birth parents, and 15 were other relatives.
There were 820 people who expressed a preference for contact at some level.
There were 32 people who expressed a desire for no contact (24 adoptees and eight relatives) while 39 applicants (30 adoptees and nine relatives) did not want contact but were willing to share information.
As part of a public information campaign around the Birth Information and Tracing Act, a booklet on the services to be provided under the new legislation is being delivered to every household in Ireland.
Patricia Carey, CEO of the Adoption Authority, says;
"We are very encouraged by the number of people who have registered on the Contact Preference Register. These are mostly adoptees - but also birth parents and other relatives - for whom the Birth Information and Tracing Act is a really important piece of legislation.
"Come October, when the free services under the legislation open, adoptees will finally have the right to access all of their birth information held by the State. This wasn’t the case previously, so it is a big deal.
"If they have applied to the Contact Preference Register, the Adoption Authority will also be able to facilitate contact between adoptees and birth parents and other relatives, at a level with which both parties are comfortable.
"The 1.85 million booklets landing on doorsteps throughout the country explain what the new legislation means and how this works. I would urge anyone impacted by the legislation to read and consider the information it contains, and perhaps talk to a trusted friend, before deciding what they want to do."
The majority of all applications, 786, came from people in Ireland, with 105 applications from those who live overseas. The greatest number of applications from outside Ireland came from the UK, with 50 people registering contact preferences. Next was the US with 17 applications, followed by Australia with four.
The oldest applicant to the CPR was 81, while the youngest, aged five, had an application submitted by their adoptive parents. The mean age of both adoptees and relatives was 50.
Of the 786 adoptees who applied to the CPR, 74% of them (580 people) are seeking contact with their birth mother. Almost 17% (130) of applicants stated they wanted to trace their birth father, with 9% (69) seeking contact with a sibling, and 1.3% (10) seeking contact with a grandparent, cousin, aunt, or uncle.
Of the 105 relatives who applied to the CPR, 86% of them (90 people) are seeking contact with their child, just under 5% (five people) said they wanted to contact siblings, and almost 10 % (10 people) are seeking contact with a grandparent, cousin, aunt, or uncle.
More than 48,000 children were adopted from 1953 to 2021.
An additional 2,000+ children were sent from Ireland to other countries - mainly the United States - and adopted in these countries. In addition, an estimated 20,000+ children were ‘boarded out’ - sent to live with foster families at a time before 1953 when there was no legal adoption in Ireland.
Ms. Carey added;
"Most families in Ireland have been touched by adoption at some stage. The Adoption Authority is determined to reach as many people as possible - to let them know they can find out about their origins and to encourage all those eligible under the legislation to register their preferences on the Contact Preference Register."
In October, both Information and Tracing services under the legislation will open.
Applications for these services can be made to the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
A website, www.birthinfo.ie, has been established for people seeking to make an application under the Act or seeking further information.
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