Parliamentary Question addressed to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are any constitutional or other barriers to allowing parents who fostered children, but could not adopt them at the time due to lack of consent on behalf of a birth parent, to adopt said foster children now that they are consenting adults; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

Reply

The Adoption Act 2010 provides the legal basis for the adoption of children. This Act defines a child as ‘any person who is under the age of 18 years’. I have no plans at present to amend the legislation to provide for the adoption of adults.