Adoption Act, 1974

Restriction on making arrangements for adoption.

6.—The Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for section 34 of the following section:

“34.(1) It shall not be lawful for any body of persons to make or to attempt to make any arrangements for the adoption of a child or, for that purpose, to retain a child in its custody or to arrange to have a child retained by any other person or body.

(2) If any person takes any part in the management or control of a body of persons which exists wholly or in part for the purpose of making arrangements for adoption, that person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

(3) In any proceedings under subsection (2) of this section, proof of things done or of words written, spoken or published (whether or not in the presence of any party to the proceedings) by any person taking part in the management or control of a body of persons, or in making arrangements for adoption on behalf of the body, shall be admissible as evidence of the purpose for which that body exists.

(4) It shall not be lawful for any person to give a child, or to cause a child to be given, to any other person for the purpose of having that child adopted by that other person, or by any other person, unless either the first mentioned person is a parent of the child, or the person who intends to adopt the child is a relative, or the spouse of a relative, of the child.

(5) Any person who contravenes subsection (4) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

(6) This section does not apply to registered adoption societies or to health boards.”