The Tánaiste Joan Burton has defended her party's record in government, saying it played a pivotal role in bringing in several important laws.

"We've just been talking about...social legislation in respect of adoption, earlier in the year we'd the marriage equality referendum and just last week in the Dáil we finally passed transgender legislation" she told the Pat Kenny Show.

"Without the Labour Party being involved in government, none of that actually would have happened in Ireland".

Ms Burton also says she is pleased at proposed laws which will give many adopted people the right to see their birth certificates in full for the first time.

Government ministers will this afternoon discuss the new bill, which aims to balance the right of a person to know their identity and a birth parent's right to privacy if they have requested it.

Ms Burton says a lot of adopted people do want to contact their birth families, and it is a right they should have.

She told the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk the situation has changed a lot since she tried to trace her birth parents.

And in terms recent politicians who have exited the Labour Party, Ms Burton says she wanted to get younger candidates.