Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 8 Feb 1990

Vol. 395 No. 5

Written Answers. - Adoptions of Foreign Children.

Nuala Fennell

Ceist:

75 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Health the number of adoptions of foreign children by Irish people domiciled in this country in (a) 1986 (b) 1987 and (c) 1988; and if either the Department of Foreign Affairs or his Department have a role in ensuring that the children are properly and legally available for adoption.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

It is not clear whether this question relates to foreign children adopted here under domestic legislation or to children adopted abroad by Irish people.

As regards the former, according to the annual reports of the Adoption Board, the number of children born outside the State who were adopted here in recent years is as follows:

1986	—	37
1987	—	31
1988	—	30

It should be noted that these figures include children born in the North of Ireland and in Britain as well as children born to Irish women abroad who were subsequently adopted here. I understand that the number of children from Third World countries included in these figures is about 2 or 3 each year.

No information is available on the number of children adopted abroad by Irish people. As such adoptions take place outside the jurisdiction, no Government Department or statutory body here have any role in processing these adoptions.

It is open to persons who have adopted a child abroad to apply to have the child adopted under Irish legislation. In such cases, it is a matter for the Adoption Board to ensure that the child is properly and legally available for adoption, having regard to the provisions of the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1988.