Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2012
61 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date in September 2012 on which she will sign a new inter-country adoption agreement with Vietnam; and the position regarding any ongoing negotiations with other states regarding inter-country adoption agreements. [33320/12]
View answerPositive discussions recently took place between a visiting delegation of senior officials from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Adoption Authority of Ireland. The discussions lead to finalisation on the contents of administrative arrangements for the resumption of adoptions between Ireland and Vietnam. I have invited the Vietnamese Minister for Justice, Mr. Ha Hung Cuong, to visit Ireland in September at which point I expect that the agreement setting out the administrative arrangements will be signed by the two Central Authorities.
The Adoption Authority has accredited two bodies to facilitate adoptions from Vietnam, ARC and Helping Hands. During their visit, the Vietnamese delegation met with both agencies and I am hopeful that the discussions the delegation held with these accredited bodies will assist future interactions. Details in relation to time frames and processes for adoptions from Vietnam should become clearer following the finalisation of the administrative arrangements by the two Central Authorities. The relevant information will be posted on the Authority's website as soon as it is available.
The Adoption Authority is working to establish administrative arrangements with a number of other Hague countries in relation to inter-country adoptions, as provided for under section 72 of the Adoption Act 2010. The Authority has travelled to a number of jurisdictions in order to make contact with the Central Authorities; advise of our processes and procedures, assess the need for additional administrative arrangements or agreements; and to glean as much information as possible of relevance to prospective adopters from those countries. The visits also provide opportunities to streamline processes on both sides and obtain up-to-date information for prospective adopters on developments in these countries. The most recent engagements by the AAI with its counterpart Central Authorities include:
A delegation from the Adoption Authority travelled to New Delhi, India, on 18th June 2012 to discuss adoption arrangements between the Adoption Authority and CARA, the Indian Central Authority. I understand the Authority is considering the report from this visit.
With the help of the Irish Embassy in Moscow, the AAI is continuing its approaches to its Kazahk counterparts on the issue of inter-country adoptions.
AAI delegations have made visits to the US to discuss issues in relation to inter-country adoptions. The Authority has advised that a Memo of Understanding relating to inter-country adoption between the US and Ireland has been drafted and transmitted to the US State Department in its role as the Central Authority.
The Adoption Authority has accredited Helping Hands for the purposes of adoption mediation with the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
On the 12th of June the AAI announced the accreditation of ARC Adoption Ltd for the purposes of adoption mediation with the US.
