Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 7

Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

37 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health when he intends to act on the commitment made by a previous Minister for Health on 8 May 1991 where he stated that he wished to facilitate people who had adopted abroad before 1 April 1991 and also undertook to regularise special procedures to recognise foreign adoptions of children who are already in this country; and if so, when this procedure will be in place.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I presume the Deputy is referring to a statement made by the then Minister for Health in this House on 8 May 1991 during the debate on the Adoption Bill 1990 to the effect that the Government were anxious and there would be a special procedure in respect of children adopted abroad before 1 April 1991.

The Bill was subsequently enacted as the Adoption Act 1991 and it does contain a special procedure to facilitate the recognition of foreign adoptions granted to Irish residents before 1 April 1991. Such adoptions may be recognised here provided that the adopters are eligible to adopt a child under Irish law, and the adoption complies with the terms of the definition of a foreign adoption contained in the 1991 Act.

One of the main requirements of the definition is that the legal effects of the foreign adoption must be essentially the same as those of an Irish adoption. This special procedure has been in place since the Act came inot operation in May 1991.