Ms Maria Corbett:

I will make a quick comment. In no way am I questioning the adoption of any child in Ireland. These are Irish citizens who need to be supported and respected. When we try to have a conversation about processes, we can overlook what some individuals hear in it. This poses a difficulty. Our interest in the Hague Convention is only to ensure that we reduce the risk of engaging in adoptions over which we cannot stand. This is our ethos. We recommend that the Adoption Authority of Ireland mentor specific countries with which Ireland has a relationship to support them in raising their internal standards to the point at which they can ratify the convention so that we can continue adopting from them.

I was asked two questions, one of which, from Deputy Byrne, was on whether prospective adopters could foster while adopting. From what we have heard from prospective adopters, the practice varies. In some areas, the Child and Family Agency has told them that they cannot foster while in the adoption process, whereas they can in other areas. The same issue has arisen in respect of fertility treatment. When a child is to be adopted, we must ensure the family is aware that it must still take on that child even if it is fostering another, but there is no reason these processes should not be able to run in parallel. People who are interested in expanding or creating families should be entitled to explore options while having a sensible discussion on timelines, different scenarios and so on. We are aware that the numbers for adoption are low and the number seeking adoption is high. Let us a have a good, joined-up approach to this issue and work with families in going through common assessment and communication processes.

I was also asked about unlawful registrations. As I understand it, an adoption order was never made, so there was no adoption and the child's original birth certificate was effectively a false document, in that it did not give the birth mother's name, only the adoptive parents'. I am sure the commission on investigation will address and tease out this issue.