Seán Haughey
Ceist:206 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it can take 18 months for the Eastern Health Board to commence an assessment for suitability to adopt abroad; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the Irish Foreign Adoption Group have stated that the process in the Eastern Health Board area takes 41 hours of meetings and attendance at a pre-adoption course compared to an average of ten hours in the other seven health boards and that couples who have already adopted are subject to virtually the same process if they wish to adopt a second time; if he will intervene to speed up this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10729/98]