Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 2

Written Answers. - Foreign Adoptions.

Nora Owen

Question:

106 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress which has been made in signing a bilateral agreement with Vietnam concerning adoption by Irish people; and if such agreement will be completed by March 2002. [3027/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I have been advised by the Adoption Board that further to inquiries from prospective adoptive parents in November, 2001 the Adoption Board wrote to the Vietnamese Minister for Justice, who has responsibility for adoption matters, on 9 November 2001, inquiring if it would be possible to enter into a working arrangement with the board concerning the adoption of Vietnamese children by Irish couples. The board has not yet received a formal reply from the Department of Justice and will keep me informed of any developments on this issue.

The board has also been in contact with the Irish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has been advised that the Vietnamese authorities will be suspending adoptions, although no definite date has been given. I understand the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs has sought an update from the Irish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The board is keeping me appraised of developments in this matter.

In considering working arrangements with other countries it is essential that we are satisfied that these arrangements uphold the spirit of the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption and that all adoptions take place in the best interests of the children concerned.

Nora Owen

Question:

107 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the problems being experienced by Irish people concerning adoption of Chinese babies; and if he will make a statement on the status of the bilateral agreement. [3028/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

In 1998, the Adoption Board and the Chinese authorities agreed on working arrangements to facilitate the adoption of Chinese children by Irish residents. China is one of the most popular countries of choice for applicants wishing to adopt abroad and the experiences of applicants who have adopted there has been very positive. I understand that to date approximately 60 children from China have had their adoptions recognised by the Adoption Board and that over seventy applicants are currently on a waiting list for a referral from China.

The China Centre of Adoption Affairs recently wrote to the Adoption Board advising that it is reviewing procedures for dealing with intercountry adoption applications from all receiving countries, including Ireland. One of the issues raised by the China Centre of Adoption Affairs was the preparation of post-placement reports which is an important part of the adoption process. Sending countries generally use these reports to evaluate how their children are settling into families in receiving countries. The China Centre of Adoption Affairs has informed the Adoption Board that it will suspend adoptions between China and other countries unless it receives all outstanding post-placement reports by 31 March 2002. The Adoption Board has written to the relevant adop tive parents as well as health boards and agencies and set a deadline of 28 February 2002 for the receipt of completed reports. I have been advised by the board that it has been assured that all reports will be forwarded in time for transmission to China. I have also written to the health boards to secure their co-operation in meeting the deadline. I will continue to monitor the situation in relation to the post-placement reports.

The Adoption Board and I are satisfied with the very positive working arrangements between ourselves and China. I met the Chinese Ambassador for a working lunch before Christmas to discuss the working arrangements and I also attended a Christmas party at the Embassy for children adopted from China.

The China Centre of Adoption Affairs has also decided to impose a quota system with regard to the number of adoption applications that will be accepted from each receiving country during 2002. Ireland has been granted an exemption from the quota system for the year 2002 in respect of applications from married couples. However, in relation to sole applicants a quota system is being imposed. The applications from sole applicants in 2002 should only account for five per cent of total applications sent from Ireland.