Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

The whole point of this Bill is to facilitate families in Ireland who can provide a loving and secure home for children, many of whom are in institutions and would benefit from a good home, to do so. I speak in favour of these amendments. Some 78% of families in Ireland seeking to adopt children want to do so from countries that have not signed the Hague Convention or countries with which Ireland does not have bilateral agreements. We adopt approximately 400 children annually, which means that about 300 such babies potentially could be denied adoption unless we insert this important amendment. Every month, 20 babies are adopted from Vietnam which equates to 240 babies a year. It is critical a new agreement is put in place by 1 April.

I know what it is like to have to wait for an adoption baby from abroad. I would hate to think any hold-up in the process was due to some lack of action on the part of my Government.

I agree with the urgency of securing the bilateral agreement with Vietnam. I support the amendment to enter new bilateral agreements with Ethiopia and Russia, or at the very least to allow adoptions with these countries continue.

I also support the proposal concerning the adoption of siblings from non-Hague Convention countries. It has been well-documented that adopted children seek out other children in their own likeness. It gives them a sense of belonging. It is important we do not reject this amendment or else the supply of foreign adoption babies to Ireland will be cut off. It would also prevent parents from adopting the siblings, or even nationals, of their already adopted children.

I agree with the Minister of State that it is important we support standards set by the Hague Convention. However, when I first adopted in 1994, I was counselled under that convention, not knowing that it was not law. Since then the Adoption Board has been following the Hague Convention, even though it was technically not in force.