Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the progress which has been made in concluding negotiations of a draft protocol on adoption between Ireland and Belarus, which was referred to in Question No. 113 of 11 October 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36332/05]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 137: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the efforts which are being made by her Department to liaise with the Adoption Board and Belarus to ensure that it re-opens to foreign adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37012/05]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 141: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if progress has been made on negotiations of the draft protocol on adoption between Ireland and Belarus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36333/05]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 137 and 141 together.

A delegation from the Adoption Board travelled to Belarus in September 2005 and met the Minister for Education, along with his deputy and officials from the National Adoption Centre. At this meeting the Irish delegation was presented with a draft agreement for consideration. The draft agreement has been translated and is with the Office of the Attorney General for his advice and comments. My Department is also examining the draft agreement. Negotiations on this agreement will commence as soon as possible but it is not possible to put a timeframe on these negotiations or to predict their outcome at this point in the process.