A man who was adopted as a child has described the emotional experience of discovering his original birth cert with a different name.
He described a lengthy battle to find out information, only to often come across 'heavily redacted' documents before finally finding out his birth name.
Speaking on Lunchtime Live, John explained that he and his two sisters were adopted in Dublin in the 1950s and 60s.
He said: "We had an amazing adoption - parents giving us every opportunity and support as children as we could hope for.
"My mother had had several miscarriages, and as a result we were always treated as very special children.
"I don't like to use more descriptive terms such as adoptive mother and father, or step siblings or half sister - to me, they all deserve the same clear titles as mum or sister."
While he found out from a friend that he was adopted when he was still a child, it was only during his teenage years that he began to notice his mother's reaction to news stories about the possibility of information being made accessible to people about their adoption.
He explained: "She probably... felt that could lead to adopted children being taken back by families. It was never going to happen, but it was a genuine fear for her nonetheless.
"I decided I would not try to discover my story, as I felt if my [birth] mother had managed to move on after my birth... then I didn't want to risk uncovering her story, maybe one she had kept to herself."
'Heavily redacted'
At the age of 45, John received a letter asking him to ring a mobile number.
He said: "I made contact, and learned it was Tusla. I agreed to meet them.
"I went out to meet them, and I learned a couple of things. They told me my adoption was illegal, and I was a St Patrick's Guild baby. This we know was a facility managed within Dublin by the Sisters of Charity.
"I was given a heavily redacted birth certificate, which was unidentifiable as mine, and was told it was mine.
"The last piece of information I was given - again so heavily redacted, all I could read was 'showed some signs of jaundice at birth'".
What followed was around two years of meetings, as well as letters to the likes of Leo Varadkar and Katherine Zappone.
John said: "I argued long and hard with Tusla, asking them not to try to find my mother... explaining my old long-held belief as to why she should be left in peace.
"I was on the adoption contact register, and believed if she wanted she could come and find me."
Ultimately, John decided to try to get as much information on the story as he could himself.
After a Freedom of Information request and a lengthy wait for the information, John says he finally received a file related to his adoption.
He said: "It was poorly and very heavily redacted. The files were inaccurate, but it led me to discovering my birth certificate, preceding the one I had relied on all my life.
"I, with the help of two others and the direction of a helpful lady of staff... found the birth cert. It contained my mother's name, and my name - a new one to me."
He said the discovery came as a relief as he was 'finally making some progress'.
John now wants to know what officials and politicians are going to do to address the issues that have arisen for people such as himself.
He said: "There are serious issues. If I travel on my passport, I'm travelling under a wrong name.
"I could find myself in the US being questions as why they have one face on record and two names... legal questions in relation to my will, and whether or not a will I make could be challenged... there's so much."
He urged politicians to 'wake up' and take steps to support people, including those trying to access records related to mother & baby homes.
