Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 4

Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.

Mary Hanafin

Question:

208 Ms Hanafin asked the Minister for Health and Children the waiting times for assessment for inter-country adoptions in the Eastern Health Board; if he has satisfied himself that this time is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20820/99]

Seán Barrett

Question:

250 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to reduce the waiting times for assessment in intercountry adoption in the Eastern Health Board area; and if he will licence private agencies to carry out this work in order to reduce waiting times. [20674/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 250 together.

The Deputy will be aware that I have already given details in the House of the steps I have taken to improve assessment procedures for intercountry adoption. As well as the publication of the consultancy report "Towards a Standardised Framework for Intercountry Adoption Assessment Procedures", I have established a group to oversee the implementation of the report and allocated an additional £500,000 this year to the intercountry adoption services. The Eastern Health Board received £213,000 of this allocation on the basis of its current waiting list. Recruitment of an additional five full-time social workers, support staffing and provision of new office accommodation are included in the board's proposals for the use of the additional resources. I understand the appointments of the additional staff are likely to take place in the coming weeks.

Under the existing legislation adoption assessments may be carried out by health boards and adoption societies registered with the Adoption Board. Any society may apply to the Adoption Board for registration under the Adoption Act 1952, section 34 to 39 (as amended) which prescribe the criteria to be met for registration. The issue of accreditation of agencies generally is being considered as part of the Department's deliberations on the ratification of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption.

Ratification of the convention will involve major and fundamental amendment of our intercountry adoption laws. At present, our intercountry adoption laws deal mainly with the approval of suitable prospective adopters and the recognition of foreign adoptions. One of the items which the convention Bill will have to make provision for is the accreditation of competent bodies (e.g. adoption agencies) to undertake certain tasks in relation to arrangements for the intercountry adoption of children. While the Hague Convention provides that countries may accredit such agencies, it also provides detailed criteria for the accreditation of such agencies as well as for the monitoring and policing of such agencies by a central adoption authority. Development of detailed proposals on this issue forms part of the ongoing work in my Department on proposed legislation to ratify the convention.