Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

We have come to end of Committee Stage of the Bill. The Minister of State has indicated that he will consider the suggestions and amendments for Report Stage. The issues of the bilateral agreement, especially with Vietnam, and its current state and reassuring the many parents who were concerned about it, is critical. From what the Minister of State has said, I know that he and his Department are working hard to ensure this agreement is signed as soon as possible. I hope that before the Bill is completed in the House and when Report Stage is being dealt with that he will have good news on that.

Will the Minister of State consider also the points made in the House about tracing. Some good comments were made yesterday on this matter, including the need for the tracing mechanisms to be put on a statutory footing. Will he consider as well the development of post-adoption services? Adoption does not end when the adoption order is made and a range of issues continue to arise. There is a need for statutory provision for the development of post-adoption services. The question of open adoption, which was discussed, and the changing face of adoption, both national and international, should be reflected to some degree in the legislation and some provision made to deal with the issues that arise.

We have made many of these points on Second Stage and Committee Stage discussions. I hope the Minister of State would be open to bringing back some amendments to the Bill at a later stage. It is the mark of a mature Minister or Minister of State to be open to amendments arising from discussions. We have seen increasingly that where amendments are worthwhile, they should be incorporated at a later point.

This legislation is very welcome because it brings Ireland into line with the Hague Convention. It is very overdue. Many people have been waiting for it for a long time because our adoption law has been outdated and has allowed confusion, insecurity and inconsistency to develop. This is major legislation and I congratulate the Minister and his officials on the work that has gone into it. I ask him to consider the discussions and amendments that were put forward, most of which have been withdrawn with the intention of resubmitting them on Report Stage and awaiting the outcome of the deliberations by the Minister and his Department on them.