Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason there is such a delay in the adoption process; her plans to employ more social workers to speed up the process; the other measures she will take to reduce waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

The Government has allocated additional funding to the HSE in recent years to assist in tackling intercountry adoption waiting times. The HSE has been assessing the provision of services in the context of moving from the health board system to a single executive. It has acknowledged that there is a divergence in the provision of services and is committed to addressing those differences.

The Deputy will be aware that demands for assessment for intercountry adoption are continuously increasing. It should be noted that consequent on the increased number of children coming from abroad, there is also a new and increasing demand for post-adoption reports for sending countries. There are also being undertaken by HSE social work staff. In a number of areas, the HSE have increased capacity through contract arrangements with non-statutory agencies with appropriate expertise. I understand that the Minister for Children has asked his officials to meet with the HSE to explore these and other strategies to increase capacity across the country.