Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The adoptive process is extremely challenging for prospective parents and creates a significant drain on their resources and strength. This area is worthy of much scrutiny and further support by the Department.

I commend the Minister and her Department on the significant progress made on inter-country adoptions. New bilateral agreements with Russia and Ethiopia are an especially welcome step. Unfortunately, time is not on the side of many prospective parents seeking to enter the adoption process. I welcome the Minister's announcement on section 63 declarations and section 40 assessments, as they were previously known, because these have been a cause of considerable concern.

I am pleased to note the Minister's satisfaction with the cost and effectiveness of the agencies involved in the adoption area, including several organisations that recently became involved in the process. Will the Health Service Executive speed up the adoption process? Will the reassessment be streamlined and take cognisance of all information that has been gathered previously at significant personal cost to prospective parents? As I noted, this is a trying time for the individuals in question as the process drains their strength.

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