THE establishment of a contact register on its own would not be sufficient to meet the needs of adopted persons the Minister of State for Health Mr Austin Currie, told the Dail last night.
He said this was the clear message he had received after having detailed discussions with organisations representing the adopted, adoptive parents, birth mothers and adoption agencies.
But he said the establishment of a comprehensive legal framework for access to birth records was a priority of the Government and the necessary legislation would be brought forward as quickly as possible.
"A number of legal and constitutional issues remain to be resolved.
"However, a case which is due before the Supreme Court within the next few weeks by way of case stated from the Circuit Court may help to clarify these matters."
Mr Currie was replying, on the adjournment, to Ms Frances Fitzgerald (FG, Dublin South East) who stressed the need to establish a voluntary contact register for adopted people.
"It is universally accepted that denial of access to information about one's origins is denial of a basic human right.
"That right is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
"And our own Constitution review group has recommended that Article 41 of the Constitution should be amended to make it abundantly clear that Ireland unequivocally subscribes to that view," she said.
She said that the current revelations relating to St Patrick's Guild were deeply disturbing and action, must be taken to move on to a new era.