Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the document on the standardised framework for the provision of a national information and tracing service is no longer available for download from the Adoption Board website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9901/10]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to ensure the adoption agencies comply with the standards set out in the standardised framework for the provision of a national information and tracing service without legislating for such compliance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9902/10]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to legislate for an adoption information and tracing service that will be compliant with the standardised framework for the provision of a national information and tracing service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9903/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together.

The Information and Tracing Unit in the Adoption Board provides an advice and referral service for those seeking to trace or to obtain medical or personal information. This unit provides services directly to adoptees, natural mothers and birth families. It also works closely with the registered adoption societies and the HSE national information and tracing services. Improvements to this service have been effected by the computerisation of the unique adoption files held by the Board. In addition, the National Adoption Contact Preference Register (NACPR) is designed to assist adopted people and their natural families to make contact with each other, exchange information, or to state their contact preferences.

The Adoption Board, together with adoption societies, the HSE and support groups, developed the "Standardised Framework for the Provision of a National Information and Tracing Service". This Framework, published in November 2007, sets standards and provides guidance and advice for information and tracing service providers nationally. There is no statutory basis for the framework which is being implemented on a consensus basis.

My Office is advised by the Adoption Board that the Framework is currently being reviewed and has been temporarily removed from the Board's website. However, the documentation set out in the Framework has been widely disseminated to societies, support groups and other interested parties and will continue to be made available to anyone contacting the Board to seek a copy. The Framework will again be made available through the Adoption Board website once the review is complete.

In overall terms it is considered that there is an effective administrative system in place to deal with the issue of information and tracing. Consequently, the current Adoption Bill, 2009 does not make specific provisions in this regard.