Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 6

Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

238 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if an age limit is applied to children in the case of foreign adoptions; if so, the way in which this age limit is determined; the reason it is applied; if adoptees are entitled to access information held in relation to them by adoption authorities here and abroad; if children from Manchester have been adopted here in the past; if, in the case of a British adoption, there is a precedent for a child to be transferred from Britain to Ireland before an adoption order is made; and if an order can then be made here (details supplied). [25654/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I understand that this couple are in correspondence with the Adoption Board in relation to adopting a child from abroad. The Adoption Board is an independent statutory body with responsibility for the administration of the Adoption Acts 1952-1998, including the making of adoption orders and the regulation and recognition of foreign adoptions. The Deputy will appreciate that I am, therefore, not in a position to comment on this case, particularly in terms of whether an adoption order can be made.