Vol. 537 No. 2
198 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children if any agreement was reached between Romania and the Government to extend the adoption agreement as is now currently in existence with China; if steps can be taken to subsidise the cost of adoption of the children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15595/01]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the possibility of extending the present co-operation adoption with the Romanian authorities. Ireland initially signed a co-oper ation adoption agreement with Romania in 1994 and most recently following the enactment of new adoption laws in Romania in February 1998. Under the agreement only foundations licensed by the Romanian committee for adoptions can engage in inter-country adoption and Irish persons wishing to adopt children in Romania must engage a Romanian foundation. There are no current plans to extend the adoption agreement between Ireland and Romania.
The Romanian Ambassador recently informed me that a major review of adoption is currently taking place in Romania and that adoption legislation is being amended. I understand from the Irish Adoption Board that it has been the practice for the Romanian authorities to put adoption applications on hold when such legislation is being amended. The Irish Adoption Board is in contact with the Romanian authorities to request their assistance in progressing adoptions for Irish applicants and will monitor developments on progress. The Deputy can appreciate that the amendment of Romanian legislation is a matter for Romania and that we cannot interfere in this process.
There is no State to State written agreement between Ireland and the People's Republic of China. There is however an agreed procedure between the Irish Adoption Board and China under which the board transmits adoption applications on behalf of Irish residents to the Centre of Adoption Affairs in Beijing. The centre only accepts adoption applications sent and inquiries made by the board. There are no current proposals to bring in measures to subsidise the costs associated with inter-country adoptions. The Department of Health and Children is currently drafting the heads of a new Bill on adoption to ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children And Co-operation On Inter-country Adoption. It is intended that safe guards will be put in place to protect the welfare of the child and only permit the adoption of children from countries who have ratified the convention or from countries we have bilateral arrangements which meet the spirit of the convention.
Issues such as costs of adoption will be regulated and it would be more appropriate to consider the issue of subsidising costs following the introduction of the legislation on the Hague Convention. I hope to present the heads to Government by the end of the year.
