Vol. 435 No. 9
74 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Health the number of assessments that have been completed by the Eastern Health Board on the suitability of persons as adoptors of foreign children; the number of these that have gone on to the Adoption Board and have been passed for eligibility; and the number of children who have come to Ireland by way of foreign adoption under the 1991 Act apart from the children who were retrospectively validated by that Act.
The Eastern Health Board has completed 37 suitability assessments for foreign adoptions to date under the Adoption Act, 1991. In 29 of these cases, completed assessment reports have been transmitted to the Adoption Board. In addition, 5 completed reports are awaiting consideration by the health board's placement committee prior to their being forwarded to the Adoption Board. In the other three cases, the prospective adopting parents decided not to pursue the matter following the completion of their assessment.
The Adoption Board has approved 17 of the 29 assessment reports transmitted to it by the Eastern Health Board and has made declarations of suitability and eligibility in favour of the applicants concerned. Consideration of seven cases is ongoing and one other case has been referred back to the Eastern Health Board for further information. The Adoption Board was not satisfied to make declarations of suitability and eligibility in 4 cases.
