Vol. 493 No. 2
144 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 17 June 1998, regarding the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter Country Adoptions, the promised legislation will exclude the adoption of children from countries that have not ratified, or refuse to ratify, the convention; if not, the reason in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15539/98]
As I explained to the House last week my officials are at an early stage in the preparation of the legislation to enable the State to ratify the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of inter-country adoption.
The convention sets out a framework for regulation and co-operation in regard to inter-country adoption. Article 1 of the convention lists its objects as the establishment of safeguards and of a system of co-operation and the securing of recognition in contracting states of adoptions made in accordance with the convention. Under the convention itself, the rules and procedures will only apply to Contracting States.
No decisions have yet been taken in regard to whether or not provisions of the promised legislation will apply to non-contracting states of origin. I intend to take the opportunity presented by the new legislation to address many of the issues in the field of inter-country adoption which have arisen since the enactment of the Adoption Act, 1991, and to put in place a regulated system of inter-country adoption which operates in the best interests of children.
