Charities and private agencies should be allowed to assess couples for foreign adoption, Prof Patricia Casey told a conference at the weekend. Otherwise those wishing to adopt could end up paying thousands of pounds to the health boards for an inefficient service.
She was addressing the second annual conference of the International Adoption Association in Maynooth.
She referred to a statement by the Minister of State for Children, Mr Frank Fahey, that he would consider allowing health boards to charge a fee for carrying out adoption assessments. "If not ideological, what is the argument against this money being given to other agencies and charities to cover the costs of making these assessments?" she asked.
"It goes without saying that these agencies could then arrange adoptions only from countries which had signed up to the Hague convention or from specific countries with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement."
The removal of adoption assessments from the health boards would free social workers to deal with pressing issues such as child sexual and physical abuse.
"If the present system [of having adoption assessments done by health boards] pertains then adoptive parents will find themselves paying money for an inefficient service and playing second fiddle to other more urgent childcare needs," she said.
"At present the cost per assessment to the State is of the order of £5,000. If private agencies and charities were involved payments would be made directly, thus saving the taxpayer and limiting the cost to those who had an interest at stake.
"In making this plea I am mindful of the recent public concern about unregulated agencies operating in this country, and for that reason it is imperative that any such agencies must employ personnel who are properly trained, and the Adoption Board must satisfy itself of their suitability," she said. "Mavericks have no role in such delicate work."