Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I support this amendment. Like other Senators, I received information from the International Adoption Association that highlighted its concerns in respect of children who have been adopted or who may be adopted in future by Irish parents from countries without bilateral agreements but where they are being prepared but are not yet concluded, particularly Vietnam, Ethiopia and Russia.

In excess of 1,000 children have already been adopted from Russia. There is, however, a concern among the members of the association that because agreements are in the process of being finalised and because the Bill is proceeding with such haste, these countries might fall outside the terms of the Act as currently drafted. This is a useful amendment to cover that instance, not in any way by lowering the standards that must apply in any inter-country adoption but ensuring countries with which bilateral agreements are being concluded but are not yet concluded may still be covered if the authority considers that the adoption can be effected in a manner compatible with this Bill.

There are detailed provisions on the bilateral agreement arrangements in sections 73 to 80 of the Bill. This amendment does not serve to undermine those but includes in the definition section a recognition that there may be a shortfall in time with some of these countries and recognises that there are already families in Ireland who may be in the process of concluding individual arrangements with children in other countries, notably siblings. Families who have already adopted a child have a real concern that in future they might not be able to adopt siblings. I know that other provisions cover this matter, but it is an important amendment to the definition of the section.