Gay Mitchell
Question:212 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will direct that foreign adoption procedures are expedited; and if he will make a statement as to the reason there are long waiting lists. [29367/00]
Vol. 528 No. 1
212 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will direct that foreign adoption procedures are expedited; and if he will make a statement as to the reason there are long waiting lists. [29367/00]
I wish to refer the Deputy to my replies in the House of 14 November [25705/00] 22 November 2000 [26951/00] and 28 November 2000 [27589/00]. I have already referred, in some detail, to the initiatives which have been taken at national level and in each health board in relation to inter-country adoption assessment. The statistical data provided shows the considerable progress made in this area in the last year. I am making a copy of the report of the group charged with implementing the recommendations of the report Towards a Standardised Framework for Intercountry Adoption Assessment Procedures available to the Deputy.
In relation to the reasons for long waiting lists for assessment, I wish to refer the Deputy to chapter 1 sections 1.1 and 1.2 of the report, pages 5-6, chapter 6, which contains statistical data for the service, pages 43-52; and chapter 7, which refers to the implementation group's findings and includes a commentary on the waiting lists and planning for the future in a demand led service where demand is somewhat unpredictable, pages 55-56.