Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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15. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the resources that are available to the Health Service Executive in managing and sorting the adoption files which are being stored in Glanmire, County Cork; and whom persons can contact if they need to access information from within. [32355/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Approximately 25,000 files have been transferred to the HSE Regional Adoption Service in Cork, from the Sacred Heart Adoption Society, which had responsibility for Bessboro, Co Cork, Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, Co Tipperary and Castlepollard, Co Westmeath. I am advised by the HSE that there has been very significant demand to access these files and consequently the HSE Regional Adoption Service in Cork has not been able to respond as quickly as would have been hoped.

In parallel with facilitating such access, work by the HSE on the organising and storage of these files has taken place and planning is underway for reorganising the approach to dealing with information requests to improve access.

Files in relation to Bessboro will continue to be managed by the HSE Regional Adoption Services in Cork. The HSE intends to transfer files in relation to the other two centres to other HSE regional adoption services to address service pressures in the Regional Adoption Service in Cork and facilitate those wishing to access information in relation to these files. In the meantime the HSE, in some instances, may refer individual applicants to their appropriate HSE Adoption services in the areas the applicant is now resident in order to assist in responding to queries.

I am advised by the HSE that in parallel with facilitating such access there has been very significant demand to access files and consequently the HSE Regional Adoption Service in Cork has not been able to respond as quickly as would have been hoped.

At present, the Regional Adoption Service in Cork provides a system for clients of these mother and baby homes which affords them an opportunity to meet with a Social Worker as a first step in commencing the tracing process. This service will continue to be provided by HSE Regional Adoption Services in Cork until the files and responsibility for providing assistance transfers to other regions.

Queries can be directed to the Principal Social Worker, HSE South, Regional Adoption Service, Páirc na gCrann, St. Stephen's Hospital, Sarsfield Court, Glanmire, Co. Cork (telephone 021-4858650).