A Clare woman who was adopted as a baby has slammed the government for its handling of the adoption crisis.
Geraldine McCarthy is calling on the Taoiseach and Children’s Minister to put as much effort into addressing this issue as they did in the referendum last week.
Clare FM’s Gavin Grace reports:
It’s feared by many that the revelation of 126 illegal adoptions from St. Patrick’s Guild in Dublin may be the tip of the iceberg, and that potentially many more people may not be aware of their birth status.
It’s also quite possible that similar issues may emerge at other isimilar institutions – a sampling investigation is underway.
Geraldine McCarthy from Ballynacally was adopted as a baby and after a long search, has just recently traced down some of her birth family – she’s not surprised by the revelations:
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There are now calls from the adoption community to support those caught up in this scandal, even if many of those are unaware of it.
There are calls for the government to pay for DNA testing and counselling, and for a redress scheme.
Derek Leinster is chair of the Bethany Homes Survivors Group.
He says the investigation is a step in the right direction but they need to be compensated:
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However, Geraldine McCarthy wants to see something more than compensation for the men and women who are finding out the truth about their birth.
The Ballynacally woman feels those affected need support now but she’s not confident the government will deliver it:
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XXX, Clare FM, first for local news.
