Vol. 455 No. 2
112 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Health the international treaties and conventions he intends to sign; the number that have been signed; the number that have been signed but not ratified; the number signed which have been ratified but have not been put into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12009/95]
Limerick East): The signature or ratification of international treaties or Conventions is so far as they affect the health area are not currently under consideration.
The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption was completed in May 1993. The primary objectives of the convention are to provide safeguards to prevent the sale of, or trafficking in, children and to establish a system of co-operation amongst countries in order to ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interests of the children concerned.
The National Health Strategy contains a commitment to amend the current law on the recognition of foreign adoptions so as to enable the convention to be ratified here. However, the absolute legislative priorities in the child care area are the implemenation of the Child Care Act and the preparation of new legislation to improve the position of natural fathers of non-marital children in the adoption process in the light of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Keegan v. Ireland.
