S.I. No. 170/1990 - Adoption Rules, 1990.

1. If an adoption order is made for the child, you will lose all your parental rights and will be freed from all parental duties. These rights and duties will be transferred permanently to the adopters. The child will thereafter be regarded as their child as if the child were born to them in marriage.

Payments by Natural Father

2. If the child was born outside marriage and the natural father is under a legal obligation to make payments for the benefit of the child, he will not be legally bound to continue these payments after the adoption order is made.

Consent to the Making of an Adoption Order

3. An Bord Uchtala (The Adoption Board) will not make an adoption order without the consent of

(a) the mother of the child,

(b) any person appointed by court order or otherwise to be the child's guardian,

(c) in certain circumstances, the natural father

unless any such consent is dispensed with by the Board in accordance with the law.

4. The consent of the natural father to the making of an adoption order for a child born outside marriage is required in the following circumstances—

(a) where he marries the mother after the birth of the child, or

(b) where he has been appointed a guardian of the child or has been granted custody of the child pursuant to a court order (or otherwise has custody).

5. Where the prospective adopters, the child and the natural parents, or if the child was born outside marriage, his mother, are not all of the same religion, every person whose consent to the making of an adoption order is required must know, when giving such consent, the religion (if any) of each of the prospective adopters.

6. A consent may be withdrawn at any time before the making of an adoption order,

Dispensing with Consent

7. The law permits An Bord Uchtala (The Adoption Board) to dispense with the consent of any person to the making of an adoption order if it is satisfied that that person (a) is incapable by reason of mental infirmity of giving consent, or (b) cannot be found.

8. Where a person who has consented to the placing of a child for adoption fails, neglects or refuses to give consent to the making of an adoption order, or withdraws a consent already given, it is open to the prospective adopters, if they have applied for an adoption order for the child, to apply to the High Court for an order under

section 3

of the

Adoption Act, 1974

. The High Court, if it is satisfied that it is in the best interests of the child so to do, may make an order under that section (a) giving custody of the child to the prospective adopters, and (b) authorising An Bord Uchtala (The Adoption Board) to dispense with such consent to the making of an adoption order in their favour.

Reclaim of Child

9. If, after the child has been placed with prospective adopters and before the making of the adoption order, you change your mind and want to reclaim your child, you should contact the adoption society without delay. If the prospective adopters decline to give up the child, it is open to you to institute proceedings to have custody of the child restored to you. Should this situation arise you would need to consult a solicitor as a court case may be involved.

RECEIPT FOR FORM 10.

(Detach here).

To the registered adoption society called ............................................................ ...............................................

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ..

I hereby consent to the placing for adoption of the child ............................................................ ........................

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ..

(here set out the name of the child) born on the ...................................... day of .............................. 19.............

I say that I am/I am not the sole guardian of the said child. The father has/has not been appointed a guardian of the said child pursuant to a court order or otherwise. (a)

To the best of my knowledge and belief, the father has not instituted proceedings in relation to guardianship or custody of the said child. (b)

Here you may state your wishes as to the religion, if any, of the persons(s) with whom the said child is to be placed for adoption............................................................ ............................................................ ................................................

I have received from you a statement in Form 10. That statement was attached to this receipt and I have myself torn it off. I understand that statement. I also understand that my signature on this receipt is evidence that I have consented to the placing of the said child for adoption.

Name (in block letters) ............................................................ ............................................................ .................

Signature ............................................................ ............................................................ ......................................

Address ............................................................ ............................................................ .......................................

Signature of Witness ............................................................ ............................................................ .....................

Address ............................................................ ............................................................ .........................................

............................................................ ............................................................ ..........................................

Occupation or Description ............................................................ ............................................................ ..........

Date ............................................................ ............................................................ ...............................................

I certify that on behalf of ............................................................ ............................................................ .....................

I have handed the statement attached to this receipt to ............................................................ ............................

............................................................ ........................................................... and explained its contents to her/him.

I am satisfied that she/he understands it.

Signature ............................................................ .........................

Date............................................................ .................................

(a) and (b) Delete words which do not apply.

Form 11.

NOTICE OF REGISTRATION OF ADOPTION SOCIETY.

(To be published by the Board in Irish Oifigiuil).

An Bord Uchtala has registered ............................................................ ........................................ in the Adoption Societies Register.

Form 12.

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION OF ADOPTION SOCIETY.

(To be published by the Board in Iris Oifigiuil).

An Bord Uchtala has cancelled the registration of ............................................................ .................................... in the Adoption Societies Register.

Form 13.

AN BORD UCHTALA.

In the matter of an application for an adoption order by/for

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ .........

To: ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ..

............................................................ ............................................................ ...........................................

In exercise of the powers conferred on it by Clause 9 of the First Schedule to the

Adoption Act, 1952

, An Bord Uchtala (The Adoption Board) hereby summons you to attend before it .................................................

at ............................................................ ............................................................ ........................ on the..........................

day of ............................................................ .................................. 19........... at ......................................... to give evidence in relation to the above-mentioned matter.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Board this .................... day of ................ 19 ............ Chairman/Registrar/a person authorised by the Board to attest the seal of the Board*.

*Delete words which do not apply.

Note

If you do not obey this Summons you are liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Twenty-Five Pounds.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These rules prescribe forms to be used for the purposes of the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1988. They replace similar rules made in 1976 and 1984.

The Adoption Rules 1988 (

S.I. No. 304 of 1988

) which prescribe forms to be used for the purposes of the

Adoption Act, 1988

are not affected.

10. I have been informed and I understand that an Bord Uchtala (Adoption Board) may make an adoption order in respect of the said child at any time after the signing of this consent.

11. I hereby freely give my consent to the making of an adoption order in pursuance of the application referred to above and I know that the applicant is a widow/widower. (h)

12. I have been informed and I understand that this consent may be withdrawn at any time before the making of the adoption order, by informing An Bord Uchtala, Hawkins House, Dublin 2, and that on the making of the adoption order my consent becomes irrevocable.

13. I have been informed and I understand that I am entitled to be heard in person or to be represented by counsel or solicitor on the application for the adoption order or otherwise to be consulted again in relation to the application and that I should indicate my wishes in this respect in writing. I also understand that if I wish to be heard I will be informed of the date on which the Board will hear me or my counsel or solicitor.

14. I say that my wishes in respect of the matters referred to in paragraph 13 above are as follows:—

(i) I do/I do not wish to be heard on the application for the adoption order. (i)

(ii) I do/I do not wish otherwise to be consulted again in relation to the application for the adoption order. (j)

15. I understand that this declaration may be used as evidence that I consent to the adoption order being made and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the

Statutory Declarations Act, 1938

.

Signature ............................................................ ............

Declared before me, by ............................................................ ............................................................ ......

(name of Declarant)

who is personally known to me (or who is identified to me by ............................................................ .................

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ...

who is personally known to me), at ............................................................ .........................................

............................................................ ............................................................ ..............................................

on this ................................... day of ............................................................ ........................... 19..........

Signature ............................................................ ............

Description (k) ............................................................ ...

(a), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) Delete words which do not apply. All deletions must be initialled by the declarant and by the person before whom the declaration is made.

(b) Where the identity of the applicant is not known to the consenting party the applicant should request the Board to assign a serial number to the application and this number should be inserted here.

(k) This declaration may be made before a Notary Public, a Commissioner for Oaths, a Peace Commissioner or a person authorised by law to take and receive statutory declarations.

Form 6.

INTERIM ORDER.

WHEREAS an application has been made to An Bord Uchtala (hereinafter called "the Board") by ..............

by occupation .............................................. and resident at ............................................................ .........................

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ......

and his wife* ............................................................ hereinafter called "the applicant/applicants"* for an adoption order under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1988 (hereinafter called "the Acts") authorising him/her/them* to adopt

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ......

*born on the ............................................................ ......... * the probable date of whose birth has been determined by the Board to be the ............................................................ ............................................................ ......

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ .......

*born on the ............................................................ ............................................................ . * the probable date of

whose birth has been determined by the Board to be the ............................................................ .........................

............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ...

AND WHEREAS the Board is satisfied that the requirements of the Acts with regard to the qualifications and suitability of the applicant/each of the applicants* to adopt the child and to the eligibility of the child to be adopted by the applicant/applicants* have been fulfilled or is of opinion that such requirements are likely to be fulfilled before the expiration of the probationary period mentioned hereunder

AND WHEREAS all the consents required by the Acts have been obtained or dispensed with in accordance with the provisions of the Acts

AND WHEREAS the Board is satisfied that the child is identical with .................................................... to whom the entry numbered ................................................ made on the ...................... day of ...................... 19............., in the Register of Births for the District of ............................................................ ............................ in the County of .......................................... relates

NOW, THEREFORE, the Board orders as follows—

S.I. No. 170 of 1990.

ADOPTION RULES, 1990.

An Bord Uchtala, with the consent of the Minister for Health and in exercise of the powers conferred on it by

section 5

of the

Adoption Act, 1952

(No. 25 of 1952), hereby makes the following rules:—