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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 1

Written Answers. - Inter-Country Adoptions.

John Gormley

Ceist:

382 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether the waiting times for assessment in inter-country adoptions in the Eastern Health Board area are at an acceptable level and that immediate action needs to be taken to deal with the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1142/00]

I refer the Deputy to the replies I gave to the House on 23 November and 14 December 1999 in relation to the waiting times for assessment for inter-country adoption at the end of 1998. I have previously informed the House of the additional £213,000 which was allocated to the Eastern Health Board in mid-1999 following the publication of the report Towards a Standardised Framework for Inter-country Adoption Assessment Procedures. A further £500,000 has been allocated to the health boards in the year 2000 on the basis of waiting lists at end September, 1999 and £236,000 of the total has been allocated to the Eastern Health Board. The total additional funding for the Eastern Health Board over this period therefore amounts to £449,000, which represents almost a doubling of the budget for inter-country adoption services.

The board has advised that the standardised framework approach, set out in the report on assessment procedures, will be commencing this month through the provision of the new format preparation courses. In addition, the board has made arrangements for the provision of improved accommodation, information technology and administrative support for inter-country adoption services. These initiatives should help to streamline the assessment process and increase throughput. Together with an increased complement of social workers these measures should bring about a significant increase in the number of assessments being completed in the board in 2000.

However, I am aware that the recruitment of social workers is a particular difficulty in the Eastern Health Board and that adverse media attention on the inter-country adoption service has undoubtedly been a contributing factor. Despite other initiatives which the board has taken to improve the service to applicants for inter-country adoption, the availability, recruitment and retention of appropriately qualified staff will be a key element in bringing waiting times to an acceptable level. It should be noted that the board is in regular contact with parent representative groups involved in inter-country adoption who are being kept fully informed of developments.

John Gormley

Ceist:

383 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if arrangements will be made to permit private agencies to carry out assessments for inter-country adoptions in view of the unacceptable waiting times involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1143/00]

Under the existing legislation adoption assessments may be carried out by health boards and adoption societies registered with the Adoption Board. Any society may apply to the Adoption Board for registration under the Adoption Act, 1952, sections 34 to 39, as amended, which prescribe the criteria to be met for registration. One such society, PACT, is currently carrying out assessments for inter-country adoption.

The accreditation of competent bodies, for example, adoption agencies/societies, to undertake certain tasks such as assessment for inter-country adoption will be considered in the context of the proposed legislation to ratify the Hague Convention. I should point out that in view of the recent increases in staff assigned to inter-country adoption assessment, as well as the introduction of a standardised framework for assessment, there should be a significant increase in the number of assessments being completed during this year.

John Gormley

Ceist:

384 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether the implementation of the Hague Convention by his Department's proposals go beyond the convention's proposals by restricting adoptions to Hague Convention countries or to countries where Ireland has a bilateral agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1144/00]

Nora Owen

Ceist:

482 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has for legislation to give effect to the Hague Convention on inter-country adoption; the plans, if any, he has to severely restrict the number of countries from which Irish couples may adopt children; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland is going beyond the proposals in the Hague Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1867/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 482 together.

Ireland is already a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. As I outlined to the House on 20 October and 9 November 1999, the ratification of the Hague Convention will involve major and fundamental amendment of our inter-country adoption laws. Work is continuing in my Department on the preparation of the legislation to ratify the convention. The primary objectives of the convention are to provide safeguards to prevent the abduction or the sale of children and to establish a system of co-operation amongst countries in order to ensure that inter-country adoptions take place in the best interests of the children concerned. Accordingly, a child-centred approach incorporating structures and procedures which accord with good practice in inter-country adoption is being taken to the preparation of the legislation.

The Deputy's question refers to future policy regarding recognition of non-convention adoptions after the legislation to ratify the Hague Convention has been introduced. This issue is not covered by the actual provisions of the Hague Convention. I have already indicated that it is not the intention to exclude any countries with which we already have agreements or working arrangements in place which uphold the spirit and principles of the convention. However, I would like to emphasise that the matter is still under examination and final decisions in regard to this matter have not yet been taken.

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