Written answers

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Adoption Services

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1083. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures his Department has taken to promote adoption as a positive alternative for children in vulnerable circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14704/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 provides important opportunities for some children, who might otherwise have spent years in foster care and for whom adoption is considered an appropriate intervention, to have the security of a permanent, adoptive family.

In particular for children in care, the Adoption (Amendment) Act 2017 includes the right of any child to be adopted, irrespective of the marital status of his or her parents, where both parents consent to the placing of the child and to the making of an adoption order.

The Act introduced a new test in cases of the adoption of children whose parents fail in their duty towards them. It provides for the adoption of a child who has been in state care continuously for a period of 36 months and where there are no reasonable prospects that birth parents will be able to care for the child. The adoption order is granted only if the child has lived with the applicants continuously for not less than 18 months. The Act emphasises that in the resolution of these cases the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration. By contrast, previously, it had to be shown that the parents' failure to care for the child would continue until their 18th birthday before an adoption could be progressed.

Where a child in care wishes to be adopted by their foster parents, Tusla Adoption Services work with the Adoption Authority of Ireland to progress these adoptions. In 2019, there were 21 children adopted from long term foster care.

My Department continues to engage with Tusla and the Adoption Authority of Ireland on this issue.

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