A thread on the Mother + Baby bill passed tonight:

The Dáil didn't vote to seal the records - that's happening bc of how the commission was set up

But, importantly, it didn't stop it either: legal experts say sealing breaks privacy law + deprives survivors of their rights (1/6)

The vote was about separating part of the Mother + Baby Commission records and sending them to Tusla.

The government has said it will bring forward legislation in the new year to allow access to the Tusla database.

The rest of the records are being sealed for 30 years. (2/6)

But - the government can change this. Clearly, as it is essentially promising to "un-seal" some of the records by sending them to Tusla database.

@maeveorourke made the point to me: The government can pass laws to deal with this whenever it likes. But why not do it now? (3/6)

"It (the government) can legislate however it wants at any time.

"But, now that he (O'Gorman) is in the Oireachtas with time on the schedule, legislating, why can he not do the simplest thing and confirm for the avoidance of doubt that GDPR applies?" (4/6)

So, to sum up - the Dáil didn't vote to seal the records. But it didn't stop it either.

Think best to finish on the words of Noelle Brown, who was born in a home and separated from her birth mother. She said sealing the records for 30 years is "shameful". (5/6)

"What is the point of sealing records for 30 years? It means no justice will be done, and people like me will probably be gone.

"Everyone will die, and that will be it.” (6/6) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sealing-mother-and-baby-home-records-for-30-years-shameful-bksrxtmn8