15 people in Carlow and Kilkenny have applied to the new Contact Preference Register since landmark legislation was enacted.
The Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022 took effect at the start of July providing legal entitlement to full and unrestricted access to birth certificates, birth, early life, care, and medical information for any person who was adopted, boarded out, had their birth illegally registered, or who otherwise has questions in relation to their origins.
Six adoptees from Carlow and seven from Kilkenny, with two relatives from the latter county, have contacted the register.
Overall 716 adoptees from across Ireland with 70 others from the United Kingdom (40), United States (14), Australia (four), Canada (two), New Zealand (two), Netherlands (one), France (two), Czech Republic (one), Germany (one), Austria (one), Sweden (one) and Spain (one).
Between them they were mainly seeking to contact a mother (580) or father (130) followed by a brother or sister (69), aunt or uncle (six), grandparent or cousin (two each).
As well as the two relatives in Kilkenny in touch, 68 others from across the country (none from Carlow) were joined by those from United Kingdom (10), United States (three) with one each from Germany and Thailand in seeking to get in touch with a child (90), brother or sister (five), aunt or uncle (four) with three each hoping to touch base with a first cousin or grandparent.
Find the Contact Preference Register here
