Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if a delegation from the Irish Adoption Board has travelled to Belarus to meet authorities there; and the position regarding adoptions from Belarus. [27440/05]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In October 2004, the Belorussian Government suspended all inter-country adoption from Belarus pending a full review of the adoption laws, procedures and practices that apply in inter-country adoption cases. A delegation from the adoption board met the Belorussian authorities on 8 September 2005, the primary purpose of which was to address the issue of the outstanding 18 cases which have been with the Belorussian authorities since before the closure. The Irish delegation also indicated it wanted to discuss future humanitarian co-operation on adoption. The Belorussian authorities expressed their satisfaction that a delegation had travelled to Belarus. This was the first such delegation to be received in Belarus since the closure. While the Belorussian adoption authorities declined to discuss individual cases, they indicated that if and when an agreement is reached and adoptions re-commence, priority would be given to applicants who have a named child.

The Belorussian authorities presented a draft protocol to the Irish delegation which has been translated and is with the Office of the Attorney General for its consideration. Negotiations on this protocol will commence as soon as possible. However, it is not possible to put a timeframe on these negotiations or to predict their outcome at this point in the process.