When a newborn baby girl was found last May in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, families from all over Ireland offered to take her in.

Gardaí held out hope that they would find her Mother, launching a press campaign to encourage her to come forward.

Investigators have since said the baby is doing well, but they have not been able to identify her Mother.

It has now emerged that unless she comes forward, Maria - who is currently in foster care - can never be adopted.

That is because, under Irish rules, a parent must sign papers releasing her into adoptive custody. Unfortunately Maria's Mum has not yet contacted gardaí or Tusla to do that.

Adoption rules are now under the microscope because of that revelation. But what exactly are the rules?

The rules

The Adoption Authority of Ireland polices adoption in Ireland, as set out in The Adoption Act 2010.

In a "domestic infant adoption" a child is placed with an alternative set of parents.

All legal rights, responsibilities and duties are transferred to the new parents and the birth parents relinquish all their legal rights and duties in relation to the child.

Under law it is now as though the child was born to her new parents all along.

The Authority says the rules are designed to improve standards in both domestic and inter-country adoption, and must be observed.

The rules covering Irish adoptions also say the Adoption Authority must approve an adoption.

The potential adoptive parents must get valid Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability.

And only the Child and Family Agency or some other accredited body can approve an adoption. 

Gardaí released this image of baby Maria in a bid to find her Mother over the summer. Photo: An Garda Síochána

Other adoptions

Adoption rules also cover stepfamily, extended family or adoption by relatives, and the adoption of a child who has been in long term foster care.

If a relative wants to adopt and that is what the parent wants, then relatives from either birth parents’ blood line can apply.

The family members who can be considered as adoptive parents include grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles or aunts of the child, "whether of the whole blood, of the half blood or by affinity", and their spouse.

Meanwhile, under new rules, children from other countries can only be adopted if their home country has ratified the Hague Convention.

Anyone who knows anything about baby Maria's Mother is asked to contact An Garda Síochaná or Tusla. Authorities promise they will be dealt with with the utmost discretion.