Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the recent discussions he has had with the Belorussian authorities regarding Belorussian children visiting here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34100/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Visits to Ireland by children from the Chernobyl region have, for over 17 years, offered the children the chance for rest and recuperation with Irish families. The continued success of these visits is due to the efforts of the many charities and families who respond generously to the children year after year. In recognition of the valuable work of Chernobyl Children's Project International, Irish Aid committed €600,000 over three years in March 2008 for the development of day-care centres in Belarus.

In our contacts with the Belorussian authorities they have frequently underlined their satisfaction with the welcome afforded the children in Ireland. However, Belarus has proposed to a number of EU Member States, including Ireland, formal agreements that would, in their view, secure the welfare of the children and ensure their return to Belarus. Pending conclusion of such agreements, the Belorussian Government indicated in late August that it would be suspending visits by Chernobyl children.

In light of these developments, I met Adi Roche of Chernobyl Children's Project International on 8 September to hear her concerns at first hand. I explained that I had asked the Ambassador to Moscow, who is also accredited to Belarus, to travel to Minsk on 9 September to register with the Belorussian authorities the Government's strong concern about the suspension of the children's visits in the absence of a formal Agreement. In addition, at my invitation, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus travelled to Dublin on 11 September. During meetings with him, it was agreed that we would work with the Belorussian authorities to arrive at an agreement between our two Governments that would provide a framework for such visits.

Since then, officials in my Department have worked with the Office for the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Attorney General's Office to prepare a revised version of the draft Agreement presented by the Belorussian authorities. In addition, on 30 September two officials from my Department met with officials from the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in Minsk to explain Ireland's approach to the draft Agreement.

A revised draft of an Agreement was forwarded by my Department to the Belorussian authorities on 6 October and we requested that a response should be forthcoming very quickly with a view to concluding an agreement at an early date. It is our strong hope that — even if negotiations are not fully concluded — visits by the Chernobyl children to Ireland will be allowed to go ahead over Christmas.