Council of Irish Adoption Agencies

Sheila Gallagher

This has been a busy year for the Council of Irish Adoption Agencies

Activities, Council meets three times every year and representatives from all registered adoption societies both HSE and Voluntary agencies are members of Council.

Our activities this year have included, campaigning on adoption issues, training events and the launch of our first publication. 

Adoption Bill:

*Campaigning and highlighting issues in relation to the Adoption Bill 2009, such as lack of legislation in relation to information and tracing services and post adoption services. Council provided submissions to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Adoption Bill. 

In December 2009, Joint press statement with the IASW in relation welcoming the recommendations by The Ombudsman for Children on the Adoption Bill 2009. ‘CIAA and IASW both support wholeheartedly and without reservation all of the recommendations made by the Ombudsman and believe that if they were accepted that the Adoption Bill 2009 would be transformed into a more child centered legislative framework for the needs of children and families. We urge the Joint Committee for Health and Children to fully accept the recommendations made in this report when they are considering the issues which the Adoption Bill needs to address. 

March 2010: Press statement with Adoption Rights Alliance, Natural Parents Network, Barnardos and Know My Own and CIAA in relation to the Adoption Bill. Available on IASW website. 

December 2009: We were very honored to have Justice Catherine Mc Guinness, launch CIAA’s first publication of ‘An Ethical Framework for Adoption in Ireland’ Choice Publishing. Copies from This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (6 euro) 

Workshops on the following issues were held during the year. These were CPD Approved.

1.  Attachment issues in adoption

2. Issues in relation to Birth parents in adoption

3. Practice issues in information and tracing work

4. Issues in Intercountry Adoption 

Meetings with Adoption Board representatives took place to consider practice and professional issues in relation to adoption services.