Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 6 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 5

Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.

Seán Haughey

Question:

206 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it can take 18 months for the Eastern Health Board to commence an assessment for suitability to adopt abroad; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the Irish Foreign Adoption Group have stated that the process in the Eastern Health Board area takes 41 hours of meetings and attendance at a pre-adoption course compared to an average of ten hours in the other seven health boards and that couples who have already adopted are subject to virtually the same process if they wish to adopt a second time; if he will intervene to speed up this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10729/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

I met the Irish Foreign Adoption Group last year and discussed in detail its concerns as outlined by the Deputy. I also met senior management of the Easten Health Board to discuss the delays in carrying out assessments of couples who wished to adopt children from abroad. 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 to greater efficiencies in the overall process of application.

As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the Eastern Health Board includes attendance at preparatory courses as part of its overall assessment process and this adds to the duration of the actual assessment. However, the board has found that these courses have been of enormous benefit to both prospective adoptive parents and social workers. There are a number of additional matters including the progress of the first adoption which must be taken into account in the assessment of a couple wishing to adopt for a second time. I intend to meet the Eastern Health Board again in the near future with a view to discussing the overall assessment process including the issues outlined by Deputy Haughey.