Adoption Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 March 2015

Thursday, 12 March 2015

Questions (174)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

174. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the process currently in place for couples and persons applying for approval as suitable adoptive parents; the time the procedure is currently taking; the number of social workers and other staff working on same; if he will provide statistics for the most recent period available to include the number of applications in the system; the number at each stage; the number and percentage which eventually get approval; the available analysis of reasons for refusal; the number and percentage which eventually successfully adopt at home or abroad; the period for which an approval is valid; the number of valid approvals in circulation with potential parents seeding a child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10866/15]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

The Adoption Authority of Ireland has provided the following table of Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability granted over the past ten years. The Authority advises that it is not possible to say how many of these led to an adoption as some prospective adopters will have withdrawn from the process for a variety of reasons. I would point out that a Declaration remains valid for 3 years, therefore the numbers below may include applicants who reapplied, following expiration of an earlier Declaration that was granted.

Applications for Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability

-	Couples	Female Applicants only	Male Applicants only	Total
2004	478	23	0	501
2005	378	22	0	400
2006	442	25	0	467
2007	473	21	0	494
2008	462	47	0	509
2009	368	38	1	407
2010	335	46	0	381
2011	223	9	0	232
2012	203	0	1	204
2013	236	1	0	237

The other questions raised by the Deputy are a matter for the Child and Family Agency and I have asked the Agency to respond to the Deputy directly on these matters.