Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I note the 11.2% increase to €191,000 on the 2014 provision. Will the Minister indicate exactly what was the case for the additional money for the Adoption Authority of Ireland, AAI? There has not been a significant increase in adoptions per se. In fact the throughput has been very slow. The committee had a particular focus on matters relating to the Adoption Authority of Ireland regarding overseas adoptions 12 months ago and before. I am anxious to know how the AAI will employ this additional money. What is expected of it? Is there an increase in staff? It is not about proposers of adoption, it is about children in the first instance, be they here in Ireland or overseas. I echo the concerns of some that some young children have missed out on opportunities for adoption here in Ireland in recent years, and that certainly concerns me.