Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Apr 1997

Vol. 478 No. 4

Written Answers. - International Agreements.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

70 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health the international agreements under the auspices of his Department which have not been signed by the State and which it is proposed that the State should sign or become a party to; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case, the date and location where each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; and when it is proposed to sign each agreement or become a party to it. [11370/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): There are no international agreements under the auspices of my Department which have not been signed and which it is proposed that the State should sign or become a party to. The last such agreement was the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption which was signed by Ireland on 19 June 1996.

Before the Convention can be ratified by Ireland, it will be necessary to give it the force of law in the State. This will involve making major changes to the Adoption Acts which contain the current procedures for the regulation and recognition of foreign adoptions. In so far as international agreements currently being drafted or prepared are concerned, my Department has agreed a Reciprocol Health Care Agreement with Australia for temporary visitors which will be formally ratified in the near future.