Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Oct 2002

Vol. 555 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Adoption Services.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

295 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of prospective adoptive parents in each health board area at present awaiting assessment for foreign adoption; the number waiting for more than one year, more than two years, more than three years or longer for an assessment to start; his views on whether the current situation is satisfactory; the steps he intends taking to ensure applicants' suitability is assessed within a reasonable period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18088/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I wish to refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 1223 on 9 October 2002, where I outlined the waiting times for assessment for intercountry adoption at end June 2002 compared to end June 2000, Table 1, and the measures that are being taken to continue the improvements that are already being made on the waiting times for assessment.

Table 1

HealthBoard	30th June 2000	30th June 2002
ERHA	36 - 42 months	18 months
MHB	10 months	Laois/Offaly*Longford/Westmeath - 8 months
MWHB	30 months	9 - 18 months
NEHB	13 months	9 - 12 months
NWHB	6 - 12 months	5 months
SEHB	12 - 18 months	18 months
SHB	18 months	9.5 months
WHB	4 - 6 months	6 - 9 months
PACT	1 - 2 months	12 weeks

*The projected waiting time was not available at end June.

Table 2 shows the number of applications from prospective adoptive parents on the waiting list at end June 2002 in each health board by year of application from 1998 to end June 2002. However, I would alert the Deputy to the fact that the number of applications on the waiting list for each year since 1998 includes deferred applications. The number of deferrals for each health board/agency is included in Table 2, although it is not possible to isolate the deferrals by year of application. Applications can be deferred by the applicants themselves or by the health board, depending on circumstances.

Table 2

Number of applications awaiting assessment, including deferrals, at end June 2002

	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	Total	Number of deferrals at end June 2002
ERHA	0	0	0	271	188	459	131
MHB	0	1	7	24	9	41	14
MWHB	0	7	20	30	52	109	6
NEHB	0	0	0	19	32	51	13
NWHB	0	0	4	6	22	32	15
SEHB	0	0	1	59	48	108	20
SHB	25	27	29	24	83	188	96
WHB	0	0	0	3	27	30	12
PACT	0	0	2	18	14	34	4
Total	25	35	63	454	475	1,052	311

In conclusion, I would refer the Deputy to Table 1 which confirms the projected waiting times for applicants who applied at end June 2002. I am satisfied that significant reductions in waiting times have been achieved and that all health boards are committed to continuing improvements.