Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 July 2006
51 Mr. English asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if there are plans to make changes to the adoption laws or procedures for both Irish adoptions and foreign adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27673/06]
View answerAdoptions in Ireland commenced on 1 January 1953 with the enactment of the Adoption Act 1952. This Act has been amended six times since 1952-in 1964, 1974, 1976, 1988, 1991 and 1998. Over this period adoption in Ireland has undergone major change. In 1996, Ireland signed the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. Ratification of the Convention requires legislative amendment and the designation of a Central Authority.
A consultation process with people affected by adoption and working in that field was undertaken in the second half of 2003 at the request of the Minister for Children. This included consideration of legislative proposals relating to the ratification of the Hague Convention and issues relating to adoption information and post adoption contact. The Bill currently being prepared will provide, inter alia, for the creation of the Adoption Authority (replacing the Adoption Board) as the Central Authority required under the terms of the Convention to oversee the implementation of the Convention in effecting intercountry adoptions. The Bill will also include miscellaneous provisions concerned with domestic adoption arrangements including putting current administrative information and tracing arrangements on a statutory footing.
The Heads of Bill on the Adoption (Hague Convention Adoption Authority and Miscellaneous) Bill are currently being drafted in the Parliamentary Counsel's Office. It is anticipated that a Bill will be published in Autumn 2006.
