Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

For the purpose of providing clarification for Members, this section refers to adoption orders made by the authority and includes domestic adoption and the adoption of children from abroad in circumstances in which the adoption order is made in Ireland. Section 32 does not relate to the recognition of inter-country adoptions. As for the proposed deletion of this section of the Bill, there is no reason that all involved in the adoption process should not be aware of the religion, if any, of the applicants. The absence of such knowledge could leave the required consent open to being challenged in the courts. The section simply provides that the mother and those whose consent is required, or both, are aware of the religion, if any, of the prospective adopters. The proposed amendment No. 37 further clarifies that point.