Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I made a decision shortly after taking office when I examined the issues involved relating to the referendum that it would be in the public interest to publish the heads of the Bill, the legislation on adoption that would accompany the referendum, to give the public more information on the implications of the referendum. I agree with the Deputy that there is a need to consider carefully and understand the issues involved. On taking office I found that work had not been done on the legislation needed and I had to initiate work on the legislation and policy required in that regard. The issues are substantial and until now my focus has been on developing and agreeing the policy from which the legislation will arise. The key policy issues we will have to include in such a Bill include the nature and threshold of parental failure to justify an adoption, the duration of such a failure regarding the age of the child, the process to be used for such adoptions, the process to be used for the voluntary adoption of children of married parents and questions around consent and the role of the High Court in that regard. These are substantial issues and, as I stated, I have initiated the policy work from which the legislation will emerge. I assure the House that this work and the legislation are high priorities on which the Department is working steadily. I am not in a position to provide a precise date for the publication of the Bill as the Department is working on a number of Bills. It is, however, my intention to publish it alongside the legislation on the referendum. I concur with Deputy McConalogue that a full discussion will be required given the seriousness of the issues I have outlined.

See this speech in context