Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will update Dáil Éireann on her Department's engagements with Prospective Adoptive Parents of Ireland. [17246/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I met representatives of the group in question in December 2012 to discuss a number of issues it raised regarding inter-country adoption with Bulgaria. Issues of particular concern included the role of the agencies, Arc Adoption and the ANIDO Association, which have been accredited to facilitate adoptions from Bulgaria, and concerns regarding the expiration of declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt from Bulgaria, which were issued under section 63 of the Adoption Act 2010. I informed the group that the Adoption Authority of Ireland, AAI, is examining a number of issues related to accredited agencies, including whether the levels of fees being charged by Irish agencies conform to international norms. While the AAI has indicated that the level of fees being charged by Arc Adoption is in line with international norms, it has asked the organisation to amend the fee payment schedule to produce a more balanced staged payments structure.

My Department is examining the role of accredited agencies under the Adoption Act 2010, including the issue of operating costs. I am anxious to ensure such agencies are underpinned by sustainable financial structures that operate within international norms for adoption. The sustainability of the agencies dealing with adoption is a serious matter. All fee structures should be set at an appropriate level and transparency should be provided to all the parties involved in the adoption process.

The wider picture in respect of adoption in this country is changing. The number of adoptions is increasing and our relationship with Russia and Ethiopia, countries from which many children who have been eligible for adoption have come, has changed completely.

The group also raised concerns regarding extensions of the validity of declarations of eligibility covered by section 63 of the Adoption Act which were due to expire on 31 October 2013. Following a series of meetings I and my officials held with representatives of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Health Service Executive, we agreed a process whereby holders of valid section 63 declarations may apply to the HSE for an assessment review that will not include a full assessment process. As a result, the relevant applicants will not be required to undergo another full assessment to obtain a section 40 declaration of eligibility and suitability to adopt. The HSE has written to holders of such declarations advising them of the procedures to be followed when renewing their declarations. To date, 269 applicants with section 63 declarations have responded to the HSE confirming their intention to continue the adoption process. The review assessment will be much shorter than any assessments the applicants will have undergone previously.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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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.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I discussed this issue at meetings with representatives from the HSE and the Adoption Board and with officials within my Department. I realise that this is a matter of major concern to many potential adoptive parents, particularly as our signing of the Hague Convention - which was clearly the correct route to take - has led to a change in the position with regard to inter-country adoptions as far as Irish couples are concerned. This is because there are fewer countries from which it is currently possible to adopt children and that is a result of our not yet having bilateral arrangements with them. In correspondence with couples, the HSE has made it very clear that they will not be obliged to undergo full assessments again. Instead, a review will be carried out and this will be shorter. Of course, the couples to whom I refer will be obliged to produce the necessary documentation in order to satisfy the authorities on various issues. Whether it is in respect of vetting or whatever, certificates, etc., people will again be obliged to produce certificates, etc. However, the assessment process will be much shorter and it will take the form of a review.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I realise that the Minister will not have the relevant information in her possession now but would she be in a position to access the up-to-date statistics in respect of the number of Irish parents who are waiting to successfully complete the process of adoption? Will she outline the most recent statistics regarding domestic adoptions and those made from the variety of international jurisdictions with which Ireland currently has the necessary working arrangement? The information to which I refer would be very useful. Will the Minister undertake to circulate it at the earliest opportunity to Opposition spokespersons?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I will circulate the information in question. It is worth making the point that this is a public information and education issue. There are large numbers of parents in Ireland who would like to adopt. It is possible that next year up to 1,000 couples may wish to adopt. The reality is that the number of children available for inter-country adoption is far lower than was the case in recent years. In the past, very high numbers of children from Russia and Ethiopia, in particular, were adopted into Ireland. The position in respect of India, Russia and Vietnam is changing, particularly as they are encouraging their own citizens to adopt children. This has led to a huge change in the context of the number of children from these countries who are available for adoption. The situation internationally has changed dramatically. In the case of some countries in which children who are in institutions might be available for adoption - Haiti could be one example in this regard - the relevant international agreements are not in place to allow such adoptions.

The position is extremely complex and that is why I have been trying to ensure that, if at all possible, we have bilateral agreements in place with countries such as Russia. We have signed an agreement with Vietnam and people will be able to adopt from that country towards the end of this month. We have met the Indian authorities in the interests of ensuring that couples which want to adopt from India will be able to do so.

The other striking aspect of this matter is that many of the children who are available for adoption have special needs. Prospective Irish adoptive parents must be aware of that fact. The situation is continually changing and we are working very hard to ensure we have in place the appropriate links with countries where there are children who can be adopted.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister circulate the relevant information?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Yes.