1^st November 2010 sees the  enactment of the Adoption Act 2010 and completes Ireland’s ratification of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

The Adoption Board was formally dissolved at midnight last night and  was replaced with the new Adoption Authority.   Mr. Geoffrey Shannon remains on as chairman of the Authority.

We will circulate full details of the Authority once they are available.

Chair: Dr. Geoffrey Shannon

A solicitor and senior lecturer in Family Law and Child Law at the Law Society of Ireland, Mr. Shannon is a highly regarded expert in child and family law and has published widely on the subject. His expertise is relied on by the judiciary throughout the European Union and his expert opinion was most recently referred to in the G case. Mr Shannon’s role as Special Rapporteur on Child Protection to the Government has been as great asset in key ares of Government policy in respect of Irish children. He has written the first major Irish book on the law relating to children.

Deputy Chair, Helen Collins

A solicitor with 30 years experience as a practising solicitor, most recently as a partner with McCann Fitzgerald.

The other members of the Authority are:

Siobhan Keogh: who is a Social worker with experience in adoption practice (previously a member of the Adoption Board).

Ann McWilliams: who is Social worker with research expertise in child welfare & child protection.

Corinna Carrick is a solicitor with experience in the practice of law in relation to families and children.

Dr Helen Greally is a psychologist.

Dr. Cyril Mc Nulty is a medical practitioner.