Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I have had the same experience as the Minister described of learning not just anecdotally but first-hand of cases where prospective adopters have not got on with social workers. On some occasions they had valid grounds for complaint, while in others they did not. I have never yet had the experience that the adoption committee has been of remote help in these circumstances, because it has tended usually to regard as something of a nuisance adopters who say they do not get on with the social worker. If one does not get on with one's social worker and there is some personality clash, that is a matter to be dealt with internally by the HSE or the adoption agency and to appointment a different social worker to deal with an individual or a couple. It should never get to the point where one gets to the end process with a report that one is unhappy with because of a relationship difficulty with a social worker. We do not need committees to monitor that, and we certainly do not need 11 of them. What consistency of approach, if they have a function, could you have between 11 different committees? The fact there are so many is questionable. We have one Adoption Board and now we will have one adoption authority. Why do we need 11 committees?

I take in good faith the Minister of State's explanation, genuinely, that he sees this as a moderating force where there is a problem with a social worker, but if there is a problem in relationships there should be a different mechanism to deal with that. I have had first-hand experience of dealing with people who have had genuine problems going through the adoption process because of personality clashes with social workers. I have never heard one example of an adoption committee satisfactorily resolving that issue. Where the issue is usually resolved is at a hearing in front of the Adoption Board, which reaches its own conclusion, having heard all the parties, about whether someone is suitable.

I genuinely do not believe adoption committees have a role in this and I intend to put the amendment to a vote. I appreciate that Deputy Ó Caoláin may want to contribute, but I am happy to put the amendment on the basis I have presented it.

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