Alex White (Labour)

I move amendment No. 25:

In page 31, line 28, after "section 37(1)," to insert the following:

"or to an accredited committee or body on behalf of the Executive".

This amendment arises from representations my colleagues and I have received from the International Adoption Association. Its primary concern in regard to this legislation relates to the delays in processing applications being experienced by prospective adoptive parents throughout the State. The Bill appears to state that all applications for assessment must be made through the Health Service Executive, which currently manages well over 90% of all assessments and has thus presided over the growth of waiting times. In Dublin, Cork, Limerick and elsewhere, it can take more than three years for an assessment to begin. Such waiting times are excessive. It is not unusual for it to take four to five years for applicants to be processed through a system that will ultimately involve only some 30 hours of contact with a social worker.

We all accept that assessment must be robust and must allow for an inevitably lengthy period of preparation, reflection and consideration by those responsible for processing applications. However, it has been pointed out to me that an applicant who applies to adopt three times may be involved in the process for up to 15 years. The International Adoption Association has asked that provision be made to allow accredited agencies to conduct assessments. As it stands, all applications must be made to the Health Service Executive and must subsequently be passed back to the executive's placement committee. This requirement serves to discourage the establishment of any assessment agency as its sustainability and efficiency would be dictated by the executive. Instead, assessments by accredited agencies should be directly routed to independent placement committees and applicants should have the opportunity to apply directly to any such accredited agency. What is the Minister of State's view on this?