Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that when the former Minister of State, Barry Andrews, introduced the legislation in 2010 we became the only country in the world to introduce adoption legislation stating that in order to continue adoptions in non-Hague countries a bilateral agreement would be required. This is my concern and it requires investigation. I have read the article to which Deputy Troy referred and I believe it was a misunderstanding. There is no question of not applying Hague standards. Hague standards are the gold standard on adoption. Far too many informal adoptions and private adoptions have taken place and we have seen the problems to which they have led. These, along with illegal registration, cause huge personal trauma. The question of having to negotiate bilateral agreements is extremely complex. We have gone from a less restrictive international adoption regime in Ireland to one that is extremely restrictive. This is the point I made. It is not that I want to depart in any way from Hague standards, but it is interesting that we are the only country that demands the negotiation of bilateral agreements for inter-country adoption to take place. Such agreements are very complex. Many countries that have signed up to the Hague Convention continue to allow adoptions in countries with which they do not have bilateral agreements. This is simply the point. I want to maintain Hague standards and I want to make that very clear.

With regard to the particular cases to which Deputy Troy referred, another question has been tabled on this.

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