Vol. 557 No. 2
235 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Health and Children if it is proposed to change the system whereby adoption agencies such as Cúnamh must pay foster carers out of their own funds even though once babies are placed in the care of Cúnamh they legally become the care of the State; and if not, if increased funding will be provided to agencies, such as Cúnamh to counteract these and other heavy running costs involved. [21881/02]
Adoption services are provided by health boards and by adoption agencies which the boards partially fund. These agencies are registered with the Adoption Board. Outside of the eastern region, pre-adoption services are provided only by health boards and foster carers are paid the statutory foster care allowance. In the eastern region, the two adoption agencies placing children for adoption, that is Cúnamh and PACT, assess prospective foster carers and place children with them on a voluntary basis. The foster carers are paid at rates agreed with the agencies. The provision of funding for Cúnamh is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority, on behalf of the area boards. The ERHA is in routine contact with them on this and other matters. The ERHA currently provides an annual grant of approximately €227,000 to Cúnamh. This represents an increase of €100,000 over the 2001 grant. In addition, my Department recently sanctioned a further once-off grant of €50,000 for Cúnamh for pre and post-adoption counselling of birth parents and adopters.
