Seanad debates

Wednesday, 26 May 2004

Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Committee Stage.

 

1:00 pm

Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 5, line 35, after "meetings" to insert ", including any overseas meetings, familiarisation visits, interviews or assessments,".

This section, and indeed the Bill, takes no account of parents who adopt children from outside the country. That is the position for most adoptive parents due to the small number of babies that are put up for adoption here. Increasingly, parents have to go abroad to adopt their child but the current wording of the Bill does not recognise that fact. While I welcome the fact the Minister is providing time off work without loss of pay for parents to attend pre-adoption classes and meetings, he is now making that provision even more strict by saying these meetings and pre-adoption classes have to be held within the State. That is going even further than the initial proposal.

I made the point the other day that we should be making provision for people who have to travel to these countries and make arrangements to visit the orphanage or wherever they have to go, which takes time. In some countries there is a requirement on parents to spend a number of weeks in the country before they can leave with the child but there is no recognition of that in the Bill. The inclusion of the Government amendment in the Bill is making that provision even stricter. Without the Minister's amendment one could argue that they have to attend a meeting outside the country but it will now be impossible to do so. I ask the Minister to withdraw the Government amendment and leave the wording as it was but accepting my amendment would give recognition to parents who have to leave the country. People will not abuse this measure. We are talking about a small, special group of people who find themselves in this position.

My amendment No. 6 also refers to the fact that parents have to inform their employer of such meetings and classes. That appears to be a small-minded requirement. If parents have to travel to meetings outside the country it will take some time and I understand why that should be vouched, but I ask the Minister to make the Bill more relevant to the people we are trying to help and not to keep it in the dark ages, which will not be helpful in the long term.

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