Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

-----upon which we can build. I hope the Minister of State will agree that Committee Stage is a construction phase in which there can be cross-party work to ensure that the resultant Bill is right.

For the sake of everyone seeking to adopt abroad, will the Minister of State further clarify when he intends to make commencement orders in respect of the Bill? In the intervening period, this matter will be key in facilitating those who are currently trying to complete foreign adoptions to know where they stand. It would also allow those who have received declarations of suitability to know whether they can progress foreign adoptions in states from which they have the opportunity of obtaining a child.

See this speech in context