Tusla assesses the potential “harm” that could be caused to birth families before it decides on whether or not to release personal information to adopted people about their early lives. In a lengthy section on information and identity rights, the report states that Tusla representatives informed it that it assesses the likelihood of harm being caused to wider birth families by the release of personal information to an applicant. Katherine Zappone“In exchanges with the forum, Tusla representatives indicated that identity and personal information applications are assessed in part by reference to the level of harm acceding to such requests may cause,” states the report. In a statement, Tusla said that in the absence of any specific legislation to regulate information and tracing services, it can only “lawfully release information relating to other persons [e.g. However, a specialist in information law, Fred Logue of FP Logue, said Tusla is “incorrect” about requiring consent for release of information that relates to the adopted person and someone else.

Source: Irish Examiner July 16, 2019 11:26 UTC