Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 April 2016
356. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of applicants who registered with Arc Adoption Agency for the purposes of inter-country adoption and who are now pursuing the refund of their registration fee since the liquidation of the agency in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6592/16]
View answerAs is Deputy is aware Arc Adoption ceased operating in November 2015. Arc Adoption called a creditors meeting on the 9th February 2016 for the purposes of voluntarily winding up the company and appointing a Liquidator. If former clients are owed money from Arc Adoption they should contact the appointed liquidator.
I am aware that there is an issue regarding the repayment to clients of refundable registration fees they are owed by Arc Adoption. I am advised that my Department has no legal responsibility for repayment of these fees. Arc Adoption is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital and operates on a “not-for-profit basis”.These fees were paid as part of an agreement between Arc Adoption and its clients and my Department was not party to this agreement. However I gave a commitment to examine the issue. This is a complex matter which I am currently considering.
