Sir, – As both a parent and a foster parent I see the distress and frustration being expressed by prospective adoptive parents in respect of the Adoption Authority of Ireland ("Changes to adoption law shattered my hopes of becoming a parent", Weekend Review, March 8th).
As an adopted person, also, I am not surprised that this is the current situation, because Ireland still does not regard or respect, nor has she vindicated, the full human rights of 40,000-plus Irish citizens adopted domestically and 4,000-plus by overseas families, and the many, many thousands who were in State care prior to the Adoption Act of 1952.
Many thousands have waited whole lifetimes to “be let know” their real names.
Many have died without finding their true identity, not to mention having some steps taken to being acknowledged as an equally valid family member parted, sometimes by circumstances not of their own doing, and sometimes by force. – Yours, etc,
MICHELE SAVAGE,
Glendale Park,
Dublin 12.