Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him continued success in his area of responsibility. It is right and fitting that our children have the Minister of State as their ambassador at Cabinet.

The Fine Gael Party welcomes the Child Care (Amendment) Bill. It is fitting that people are given extra rights after five years of having children in their care. Some 5,000 children are in foster care and I compliment those involved in fostering. Although I have no children, I see the amount of work my sister puts into rearing hers. I compliment those who care for children other than their own and I also compliment the social workers involved.

Despite our affluence and improved educational opportunities, there remains a need for foster care. Many people are rearing their grandchildren as a consequence of, for example, marital breakdown or parents moving abroad. I recently visited the home of a woman who told me she was rearing her grandchild. I had no idea this was the case. Similar arrangements are in place in every town and village.

The Minister of State said there are officially 5,000 children and young people in foster care. Am I correct in assuming there are many others who are not officially in foster care but are being reared by a relative? Is there an obligation on the grandparent, uncle, aunt or sister to inform the authorities of such arrangements? Could the official figure be far higher and what are the implications of that?

Are persons who foster children and subsequently decide to adopt them placed at a financial disadvantage? I understand foster carers receive a fostering allowance in the region of €300 or €400 per week. If foster parents adopt the child in their care, will they lose this allowance? Are adopted children automatically entitled to inheritance rights? Could these factors act as deterrents to the adoption of children by their foster parents?

In the United Kingdom, foster carers receive a tax credit whereby they do not pay tax on their income from fostering up to a maximum of £10,000 plus allowances. Is there any similar arrangement here? Foster carers in Britain are also entitled to home responsibility protection, which means they are not subject to a reduced basic retirement pension after fostering a child later in life and staying home to look after him or her. It is important we do not put anything in place that would be a disincentive for those considering fostering a child.

There has been some discussion of the question of whether adopted children should have access to their birth certificates. The Minister spoke about this issue on "Prime Time" in 2003 and I understand a commitment was given at that time that children would be given such access. Will he update the House on what progress has been made in this area?

I wish the Minister of State well with the passage of this Bill. It represents a positive and forward step.