21 people in Waterford have applied for information relating to their birth under adoption legislation.
Last week, the Adoption Authority of Ireland launched a service allowing people to gather information and trace their ancestors.
Nationally, 1,200 people have applied since the initiative launched.
"The response has been phenomenal and I think this is really significant, historic legislation," Patricia Carey, CEO of the Adoption Authority of Ireland told Déise Today.
"For the first time in Ireland, people who were adopted or who were boarded out or fostered, people whose births were illegally registered, have the right to apply for and receive information about themselves.
"That's the right to their identity, the right to know where they were born, who cared for them, what level of care was given to them, and all about their birth and early life information."
According to the AAI, there are upwards of 100,000 people in Ireland who can apply under this legislation.
"It's not just people who are legally adopted," Patricia continued, "We know that came in in 1953.
"But before 1953 there were over 20,000 people who were informally placed with families - it was called being boarded out.
"So, all of those people - and in some instances, their relatives - can apply for information."
In July the new Contact Preference Register also came into existence, which allowed adopted people and relatives to register that they would like to be contacted by their biological parents/children.
Up to mid-September, almost 2,200 people had registered, with 47 of those coming from Waterford.
More information can be found here.
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