Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The Adoption Bill 2009, which was launched by the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs earlier this year, will provide uniform standards of child protection for the approximately 400 intercountry adoptions completed each year. When enacted, it will provide the legislative framework to permit Ireland to ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption.

Under the proposed new regime, prospective adoptive parents will only be able to adopt from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention or that have a bilateral agreement with Ireland, based on Hague principles. The Office of the Minister for Children has been liaising with the Department of Foreign Affairs in order to identify countries, including the Russian Federation, which could potentially enter into such bilateral agreements.

Officials from both Departments have been in contact with officials from the Russian Federation. This has included contacts through the Irish Embassy in Moscow and legal and other preparatory work with the aim of preparing a draft intercountry adoption agreement. A first meeting was held this month with the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs and involved officials of the Office of the Minister for Children and the Russian Embassy. Every effort will be made to conclude a bilateral agreement in advance of any of the proposed changes in Irish law taking effect, although progress will be dependent on the co-operation of the Russian authorities.

With regard to current arrangements, the Department has been informed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs that the Russian authorities are insisting on the submission of all outstanding post-placement reports required in respect of Russian children adopted by foreign parents. New adoptions to a number of countries, including Ireland, have been delayed pending receipt of the outstanding reports. I understand that the majority of the outstanding reports have already been completed. However, a small number of cases are outstanding and I understand that the HSE's adoption services are endeavouring to follow up with the adoptive parents concerned in an effort to ensure that the required reports are forwarded to the Russian Embassy. Co-operation in this regard will also be required from the adoptive parents.

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