Vol. 480 No. 6
271 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will intervene with the child care and family support services section of the Eastern Health Board to ensure that a home assessment for adoption is undertaken without delay in the case of a family (details supplied) in Dublin 3 who wish to adopt a young girl from Chernobyl to ensure that the child will not have to be returned to Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14379/97]
I have been informed by the Eastern Health Board that on 11 July 1997, and official of the board met with the Russian voluntary worker who was responsible for placing the child in question. The voluntary worker was provided with a letter for the Russian authorities requesting that the child's visa be extended to the end of 1998 to allow the Eastern Health Board complete the assessment of the couple.
The Eastern Health Board official was assured that this letter would be sufficient to have the child's visa extended, during which time the applicants assessment will be completed. The health board has stated that if the visa cannot be extended, and the Russian authorities confirm that the child must return to Russia if the adoption assessment has not commenced, the case will be treated as a matter of urgency.
