Vol. 490 No. 2
196 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will report on the difficulties being experienced by adoptive parents caused by the delay in processing their applications; if he will consider the appointment of some extra social workers to clear the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10117/98]
The Adoption Act, 1991, imposed a statutory duty on health boards to carry out, as soon as practicable, assessments for foreign adoptions. In carrying out this function, the boards must have regard to the competing demands in other areas of the child care services, particularly in relation to the protection of children from abuse and neglect, which takes priority over all other work. Under the Act, it is also open to an applicant to request a registered adoption society to carry out an assessment. However, there is no obligation on a registered adoption society to carry out such an assessment.
I am aware that there are different timescales for the completion of the assessment process in the different health boards. This difference arises principally from the greater volume of applications in some areas, particularly in the Eastern Health Board. I met senior management of the Eastern Health Board last year to discuss delays in carrying out assessments of couples who wished to adopt children from abroad. I am pleased to inform the House that arising from the additional funding approved to the Eastern Health Board for child care services in 1998 the board has proposed, in its 1998 service plan, the appointment of three new social workers to its adoption service. This will facilitate a speedier assessment of couples who wish to adopt children abroad.
I understand that the current waiting time prior to assessment in the Eastern Health Board is 12 months — a reduction of two months on 1997. This reduction can be accounted for by the allocation of additional resources and greater efficiencies in the overall process of application.
