Vol. 513 No. 1
448 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will introduce regulations to govern the operations of pregnancy counselling services with particular reference to concerns expressed (details supplied) regarding the implications for adoptions and the rights of birth mothers in view of recent developments. [1370/00]
The Deputy will be aware that a wide range of counselling services is available and I am of the view that if consideration is to be given to regulation, this should not be confined to pregnancy counselling alone. I am therefore currently examining the question of whether counselling services should be subject to regulation and, if so, what form this might take. This may involve consultation with other interests involved in this area. Some of the forms of counselling available come within the remit of other Departments and their views will be relevant also.
The placement of children for adoption is regulated under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1998, inclusive. Registered adoption agencies work in conjunction with the Adoption Board and within the provisions of the Adoption Acts in the placement of children for adoption. The Adoption Act, 1998, specifically prohibits the placement of children for private adoption. The pregnancy counselling agency referred to in the correspondence furnished by the Deputy is not a registered adoption agency and has no statutory entitlement to place children for adoption.
