Minister For Children And Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, T.D., Welcomes Enactment of the Adoption Act 2010 and Appointment of Adoption Authority of Ireland

1st November 2010

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, T.D., today welcomed the launch of the Adoption Authority and the entering into law of the Adoption Act 2010. The commencment of the Act coincides with Irish ratification and membership of  Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. 

The Minister said “the establishment of the Adoption Authority will be central to the administration of adoption, domestic and intercountry, for many years to come. I would like to acknowledge the work of previous Ministers for Children and officials who have worked on this legislation over the past 14 years and am delighted that I have had the opportunity to steer the Adoption Bill 2010 through the Oireachtas and into law. 
 
The establishment of the new Authority is a key element of a complete overhaul of the adoption process in Ireland.  The Authority is charged with ensuring high standards, setting guidelines for the HSE and other bodies and regulating and monitoring all adoption activities.  The central focus of all of this work will be the best interests of the children, both Irish born and children adopted from abroad.
 
The Adoption Act, 2010 is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child. 
 
The Minister stated that Membership of the “Hague Club” is intended to improve standards in intercountry adoption and allow for adoptions between countries that are Hague compliant.  However, the desire to further improve standards should not end with Hague ratification. 
 
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish the new Authority, its Chairman Mr Geoffrey Shannon and its Board, well in their future work and to thank all the staff of the Adoption Board and OMCYA for the efforts that they have made over the last numbers of years to bring about today’s events."

The Minister paid tribute to the work and cooperation of the HSE in preparing for the new legislative framework. 

Phil Garland, Assistant National Director of Children and Families Social Services, commented: “As the statutory childcare authority the HSE welcomes the commitment under the Hague convention to strengthening the focus on placing the child at the centre of the adoption process in Ireland.  During the introductory phase of the Adoption Act 2010, members of the public who have any queries about adoption both, from a domestic and an inter-country perspective, should contact their local HSE social work department, details are listed on www.HSE.ie/go/adoption. The staff of the HSE has been collaborating closely with the OMYCA and the Adoption Board to ensure a smooth transition under the Act.”

Adoption Authority Board:

A solicitor and senior lecturer in Family Law and Child Law at the Law Society of Ireland, Mr. Shannon is a highly regarded expert in child and family law and has published widely on the subject. His expertise is relied on by the judiciary throughout the European Union and his expert opinion was most recently referred to in the G case. Mr Shannon’s role as Special Rapporteur on Child Protection to the Government has been as great asset in key ares of Government policy in respect of Irish children. He has written the first major Irish book on the law relating to children. 

Deputy Chair, Helen Collins: