Seanad debates

Friday, 2 July 2010

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill Amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages

 

11:00 am

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The objective of ratifying the Hague Convention on the protection of children and co-operation in respect of inter-country adoption, is at the core of this legislation. The Bill provides for the State to enter into discussions with states which are not party to the Hague Convention for the purposes of making bilateral agreements on inter-country adoptions. Equally, the standards applying to inter-country adoptions under a bilateral agreement will accord with the Hague Convention standards.

I regard inter-country adoption as a valuable form of alternative care for children and I want to protect those children's interests and to ensure that high standards in the adoption process are upheld. This is one of the Government's main objectives in this legislation.

The first group of amendments, Nos. 1, 5 and 6, deals with the provision of counselling for mothers or guardians prior to their placing a child for adoption. This is an important issue which was initially raised by Senator Fitzgerald and supported by a number of other Senators on Committee and Report Stages in the Seanad. The decision to place a child for adoption is a difficult decision and one with far-reaching consequences for all involved. In view of this, I brought forward amendments in the Dáil to provide that the accredited body shall provide information and counselling to the birth mother or guardian before the child is placed for adoption.

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