Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. Can the Minister of State tell us where are the files on the 20 couples in abeyance for more than one year? Those dossiers were in Vietnam before 1 May 2009 when the Ireland-Vietnam bilateral agreement closed. They are waiting and they are afraid to speak out. If they speak out as a group, they are afraid it will mitigate against them. They do not know whether they are coming or going. It is great news that it looks like Vietnam will open next January. Does the Minister of State think this is the case? However, that will not affect the 20 couples. Will the 20 couples be sorted out prior to January 2011 or are they also relying on that date? For the bulk of families in Ireland, the 300 involved in Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency referred to by Senator Buttimer, they are waiting for the period after January 2011. What is the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs doing? I am not trying to cut the Minister of State. I was in this situation as an adoptive parent but I never had the State working against me. The State was always on my side. Besides the fact they had difficulty conceiving and had to wait up to seven years to get through the assessment, the most difficult thing for these couples is that the State is dragging its heels. I asked the Minister of State to clarify this point.

I received a letter from Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency, stating it is completely vindicated after being silenced for ages. What will be the status of Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency in respect of the Irish Government after the enactment of this Bill?