Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State for the main body of his reply. It dealt with the future arrangements, about which there is no difficulty. Legislation that will implement the Hague Convention or arrangements that will reflect the principles thereof will be very valuable. However, an issue arises with regard to the transition to the new system and also to the cases that are outstanding under the current system. I understand that the HSE has brought the reports to it from parents for 2009 have been brought up to date. However, I also understand that a number of cases from 2008 remain outstanding.

I wish to make a point in order to be of assistance in respect not only of the Russian issue but also with regard to the Ethiopian and Vietnamese issues. As the enabling agent in the context of the signing of international agreements, etc., the Department of Foreign Affairs enjoys a particular and extremely valuable status within these receiving countries. In that context, when a new agreement is being brought into existence, there is almost a duty of protection towards the existing arrangements. The Minister of State may agree with me that if one begins at the other end and considers the passage from the existing arrangements towards the new ones, one will end up in a position where those involved in existing cases will be placed in difficulty.

I will leave aside the question of Vietnam, on which the Minister of State with responsibility for children is working. However, in the case of the Russian Federation, the fact is that the reputation and enabling powers of the Department of Foreign Affairs are compromised by the fact that there is a time-lag with regard to the HSE's performance in respect of 2008. There is no point in apportioning blame in the context of what adoptive parents and the State must do. The issue is whether the Department of Foreign Affairs can impress upon the Russian authorities the fact that the relevant obstacle has been removed.

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