Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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394. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of couples that have been granted declarations of eligibility and suitability to adopt under the relevant sections of the Adoption Act, but that have yet to adopt a child; the number of single persons who have been granted such declarations, but have yet to adopt; if he will provide a gender breakdown of these single persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4793/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Adoption Authority of Ireland has provided the following table of Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability granted over the past ten years. The Authority advises that it is not possible to say how many of these led to an adoption as some prospective adopters will have withdrawn from the process for a variety of reasons. I would point out that a Declaration remains valid for 3 years, therefore the numbers below may include applicants who reapplied, following expiration of an earlier Declaration that was granted.

APPLICATIONS FOR A DECLARATION OF ELIGIBILITY & SUITABILITY

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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395. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of non-family adoption orders granted for each of the past ten years; if he will provide a breakdown of the non-family adoption orders granted to couples and to single persons for each year; if he will provide a gender breakdown of these single persons for each year over the period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4794/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Adoption Authority of Ireland has provided a table which shows the number of domestic adoption orders made from 2005 through 2014 in respect of non-family adoptions. The Authority advises that it does not maintain statistics on the numbers of sole applicants adopting a non-related child. However, it can be taken that the number of sole applicants adopting non-related children is extremely low and would occur only in exceptional circumstances, e.g. where a foster family intended to adopt a foster child and one of the couple died and the other proceeded with the adoption. The reasons for the exceptional nature of these adoptions are that birth mothers giving their children for adoption typically choose a couple and also that sole applicants are not automatically eligible to adopt but must satisfy the Authority that in the particular circumstances the adoption is desirable and in the best interests of the child.