Investigations carried out by Barnardo’s Children’s charity have found that there may be up to 15,000 illegal adoptions throughout Ireland where adoptive parents were registered as birth parents.
The organisation Adoptions Rights Allowance have also found that at least 182 institutions or individuals across Ireland have been involved in illegal adoption practices.
One such institution that has come under intense scrutiny is the now-defunct St Patrick’s Guild which is responsible for the incorrect registration of 126 adoptions. This led to TUSLA, Ireland’s child protection agency, contacting the affected individuals in 2018 to inform them of this practice of illegal adoption.
How We Can Help
Our expert human rights solicitors are highly experienced in cases of this nature. We will request all relevant records in relation to each individual’s adoption and examine whether or not correct procedures were followed. Proceedings can then be issued against the institution responsible. If these institutions were run by the Catholic Church or the State, then proceedings could be issued against them directly.
We believe that a proper investigation of these cases will reveal that hundreds of institutions across Ireland were involved in illegal adoption, many of whom were overseen by the State or the Catholic Church. We can assist our clients in uncovering the systematic failings in relation to adoption practices in Ireland and to ultimately seek closure for victims.
Contact us for an initial enquiry. We will discuss the funding options which are available to our clients, including Legal Aid, legal expenses coverage and private paying.
