Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I was a signatory to the original motion. Many of us were hugely impressed by Mr. Browder's presentation. We decided to go a particular route, namely, that the Chairman would initiate discussions with the Russian embassy and ambassador to ensure the committee was balanced in addressing the issue. I understand the Chairman subsequently met with the ambassador and that the joint committee has received correspondence from him. The final paragraph of that correspondence is, to say the least, disappointing. With respect to the ambassador, it appears to threaten that if we take this human rights issue as seriously as intended, it will have ramifications for Russian-Irish adoptions.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, spoke yesterday in the Dáil about the progress being made in relation to Vietnamese and Russian adoptions. The ambassador has added an extra dimension to this debate, which dimension I do not like. The ambassador has effectively stated that our debate of this issue may have ramifications for the near completed Russian-Irish adoption process. I believe we should take his sentiments seriously. As stated by previous speakers, we must be diplomatic in how we address that which we have initiated by way of the Magnitsky issue and the threat from the embassy that we may be jeopardising the Russian-Irish adoption process.

Somewhere in the correspondence on this issue reference is made to the European Union having debated and discussed this issue. It would be no harm if the joint committee made contact with the relevant European committee which heard from speakers from the Duma on the issue. I would like to know the outcome of those discussions before we run off on our own seeking to introduce legislation which probably will never happen given the process of enacting legislation in this country.

I believe we should be diplomatic in our approach on this issue. It is an important human rights issue which should not be dropped but kept alive. However, we must balance this against the human rights of Irish citizens on the verge of adopting a child, which is important to them and their lives. I beg caution from my colleagues, with a view to progressing this in a diplomatic way.