Adoption Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2015

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Ceisteanna (386)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

386. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 195 of 18 June 2015, in respect of an adoption registration fee refund due to persons (details supplied) in County Leitrim, if conditions being applied to funds provided for the Arc Adoption agency by his Department stipulate that adoption registration fee refunds shall not be paid from these funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25695/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

My Department has provided transitional funding of €10,000 on a monthly basis to both agencies currently accredited to provide intercountry adoption mediation services since January 2014. While it was understood that this funding would be used for day to day running costs, no specific instruction issued from my Department that states that Arc Adoption cannot use these funds to pay refundable registration fees, which they owe to their clients. My Department made a once off payment of €10,000 to assist Arc in repaying clients that were due their refundable registration fees in July 2014.

I have been made aware that there is an issue regarding these refundable registration fees. The matter is currently under active consideration by my Department.