Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Yes, I did indicate initially that the ISS report would be out in October. However, in the meantime the report has much to say about many receiving countries, including Ireland, and some of those countries had much to say too which delayed the report's finalisation. I understand it has been finalised and will be signed off by the Vietnamese Government soon. This report was commissioned with the co-operation of the Vietnamese department responsible for inter-country adoption and its ministry of justice. Last week, I wrote to UNICEF to encourage the ISS to produce this report as soon as possible for the reasons mentioned by the Deputy.

Everyone involved in this issue must have a mature discussion on the report's impact. There are facts contained in it which are a cause for considerable concern for both the receiving countries and the countries of origin. These will all have to be taken into account. The paramount consideration is to ensure the best interests of the child in Vietnam and that the safest possible adoptions can be effected.

We must also reflect on the fact that inter-country adoption is a risky procedure. The writ of this country runs only as far as the jurisdiction. Going outside to other countries, we cannot know what is happening or whether procedures are being followed to the nth degree. We must also bear in mind the large number of people with declarations of eligibility and suitability for adoption. They are frustrated on the one hand by the long time it has taken for them to be assessed and, on the other, that we have had closure with Vietnam again. Earlier in the year, Ethiopia and Russia closed for different reasons beyond our control. It is extremely frustrating for parents in those circumstances.

I am making strenuous efforts to bring closure to the 20 cases to which the Deputy referred. It came to my attention during my visit to Vietnam in July that there were 20 dossiers with the department responsible for international adoptions in Hanoi but they had not received a referral. When a bilateral agreement comes to an end, it is usual practice to allow pipeline cases to be finalised. We are working to find the correct mechanism to satisfy our laws and the Vietnamese on this matter.

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