Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. What I am proposing is not in conflict with the Hague Convention. In fact it would enhance the measures that Ireland has signed up to in the convention. I agree that the convention has moved toward a more child-centred adoption policy in which the child's interest is central both at the beginning and the end of the process. However, the difficulty we face in Ireland is that the single country adoption process is causing problems for parents who are seeking to adopt and give a good home to children. As they are dealing with one country, the timeframe sometimes expires or is exhausted and the prospective parents have to commence the entire process anew. Furthermore, the country from which they are seeking to adopt may close its adoption options for a period of time and the prospective parents are thereby locked out of the adoption process.

I welcome that the Minister, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, is preparing to examine the way in which the structures are being operated out of Ireland, but I ask that the Minister of State bring the points I have raised to her attention. I would be most grateful if I could get a response to them.

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