Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason the Adoption Authority has failed to produce an annual report since 2008; and the measures she and the Adoption Authority are taking to improve the reporting of search and reunion services carried out by the Adoption Authority of Ireland, adoptions agencies and the Health Service Executive. [8081/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The latest available annual report of the former Adoption Board is in respect of the year 2008. A report in respect of 2009 and the period up to end October 2010, when the Board was replaced by the Adoption Authority of Ireland is not yet available. The priority focus of the Board has been on directing available resources to the establishment of the new Adoption Authority and the ratification of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. However, I expect that a report in respect of this period will be produced and submitted to my Department at the earliest opportunity.

The Adoption Authority of Ireland was established in November 2010 under the terms of the Adoption Act, 2010. Section 117 of the Act provides that the Authority shall prepare and adopt an annual report in relation to the performance of the Authority's functions during the preceding year. The first annual report of the Authority, which will cover the period from its inception to the end of 2011, is therefore due to be presented before the end of June 2012.

Annual reports previously prepared by the former Adoption Board included information on information and tracing services. I expect that this aspect of the Authority's work will continue to feature in the annual reports of the new agency.