The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for matters relating to the formulation of adoption legislation, including Regulations, and public policy issues on adoption. The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) was established in November 2010. The Authority is an independent statutory body charged with implementing the Adoption Act, 2010. The Authority has responsibility for the direct operational implementation of legislation and Government policy.
The AAI have informed me that 88 Countries have ratified or acceded to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter country Adoption. Details of these countries are available on the HC website, www.hcch.net.
The Adoption Authority have informed me that the number of persons adopted into Ireland whose adoptions have been entered in the Register of Foreign Adoptions from 2001 to 2010 is as follows:
|
Hague
|
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
2002
|
2001
|
|
Belarus
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
56
|
39
|
27
|
11
|
|
Brazil
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Bulgaria
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
Cambodia
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
China
|
9
|
10
|
19
|
31
|
33
|
52
|
60
|
56
|
51
|
16
|
|
Colombia
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
1
|
7
|
4
|
6
|
15
|
16
|
9
|
17
|
23
|
19
|
|
Kenya
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
Mexico
|
10
|
16
|
22
|
8
|
4
|
9
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
|
Peru
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Philippines
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Romania
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
8
|
13
|
48
|
|
South Africa
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Thailand
|
2
|
6
|
11
|
9
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
16
|
15
|
5
|
|
USA
|
7
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
33
|
45
|
63
|
60
|
61
|
83
|
139
|
141
|
132
|
105
|
|
Non-Hague
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bosnia & Hertzegovina
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Ethiopia
|
75
|
21
|
26
|
17
|
14
|
13
|
16
|
7
|
2
|
0
|
|
Malawi
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Russia
|
80
|
100
|
117
|
160
|
143
|
131
|
189
|
139
|
107
|
45
|
|
Taiwan
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
|
Ukraine
|
2
|
2
|
9
|
8
|
11
|
27
|
12
|
14
|
12
|
0
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vietnam
|
10
|
136
|
182
|
130
|
68
|
92
|
16
|
39
|
81
|
10
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
|
168
|
262
|
334
|
317
|
237
|
264
|
236
|
200
|
204
|
58
|
The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with non-contracting states is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010 which states that "the Authority with the prior consent of the Minister, may enter into discussions with any non contracting state concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State". Ireland currently has no bilateral agreements with non — Hague countries.
The Adoption Authority have indicated that their first priority is to reach agreements on arrangements with other Hague countries. The Authority has confirmed that delegations will shortly travel to Mexico and the United States to discuss possible administrative agreements under the Hague Convention. The Authority has also commenced a review of the adoption laws of Lithuania, Panama, Kenya and Kazakhstan as prospective countries for adoption into Ireland.
Furthermore, my Department is currently in discussions with the AAI on the appropriateness and feasibility of exploratory discussions with the Russian authorities concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State.
