The Adoption Bill, 2009, is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child. Future intercountry adoption arrangements will be governed by the terms of the Adoption Bill 2009 when enacted.
Ireland does not have a bilateral agreement with Ethiopia in respect of adoption. Consideration of this matter is at an early stage. I have recently written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs seeking the assistance of the Embassy in Ethiopia in this regard. There has been no formal consultation on this issue with the Australian authorities. However, I am aware that Australia recently re-opened Ethiopian adoptions following a brief suspension.
Issues relating to intercountry adoption from Vietnam are treated on their own merits and are unaffected by consideration of matters related to adoption from Ethiopia.