Vol. 555 No. 5
288 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the adoption procedure from Belarus in view of the difficulties experienced by couples wishing to adopt in connection with the failure of health boards to follow procedures required by the Belarus authorities. [18983/02]
The Adoption Board entered into a working arrangement with Belarus in 1999 to facilitate the adoption of children from Belarus to Ireland. This arrangement was suspended by the Belarus authorities in April this year pending the completion of a number of outstanding post placement reports and the setting up of a co-ordinating service in Belarus to assist Irish couples.
In July the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, met the Belarus authorities to facilitate the beginning of intensive discussions between the Belarus adoption authorities and the Adoption Board to resolve the matter. In recent months the board has been actively engaged with the Belarus adoption authorities in drawing up and agreeing new adoption arrangements in order to lift the suspension on adoptions. As part of this process the adoption board is developing a tracking system to ensure that post-placement reports completed by health boards on adopted children from Belarus are kept up to date.
