Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have had a further discussion with the Adoption Authority on the points the Senator made since we discussed this here last week. It is absolutely the practice that the mother’s wishes in respect of the adoptive family are taken fully into account. We do not put into the statute that the mother decides because under the Hague Convention it is the central authority which makes the statutory final decision but the absolute practice is to match the family to the birth mother’s preference and that will continue to be the situation.