Adoption Act, 1991

Proof of adoptions effected outside State.

9.—(1) (a) A document, duly authenticated, which purports to be a copy of the document by which an adoption outside the State was effected shall without further proof be deemed to be a true copy of the document unless the contrary is shown and shall be admissible as evidence of the adoption.

(b) Documents, duly authenticated, which purport to be copies of the documents by which an adoption outside the State was effected shall without further proof be deemed to be true copies of the documents unless the contrary is shown and shall be admissible as evidence of the adoption.

(2) A document purporting to be a copy of a document or of one of the documents by which an adoption outside the State is effected shall, for the purposes of this section, be regarded as being duly authenticated if it purports—

(a) to bear the seal of the court or other authority or the person or persons by which or by whom it was issued or executed, or

(b) to be certified—

(i) by a person in his capacity as a judge or officer of that court or in his capacity as that authority or as a member or officer of that authority, or

(ii) by the person or persons by whom it was issued or executed.

(3) (a) The Minister may by regulations make provision in relation to the proof of adoptions effected outside the State and the regulations may make different provision as respects different places and different classes of adoptions.

(b) Provisions of regulations under this subsection may be in addition to or in substitution for the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section and may amend those provisions.

(4) Where an adoption is effected in a place outside the State, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, that it was effected under and in accordance with the law of that place.