Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the application for the renewal of the bilateral adoption agreement between Ireland and Vietnam; if the Government is agreeing to renegotiate the agreement; if a draft agreement has been issued to Vietnam; if the Government of Vietnam issued a letter in the past week informing the authorities here that they will cease to accept adoption dossiers from Ireland from 1 April 2009; if the matter is being rectified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11641/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position in respect of the negotiations on the renewal of the bilateral agreement between Ireland and Vietnam regarding adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12668/09]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the date when she expects the bilateral adoption agreement between Ireland and Vietnam to be signed in view of the imminent expiry of the existing agreement and the risk it poses to parents seeking to adopt in Vietnam. [11621/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 223 and 444 together.

The Adoption Bill 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, was published on Friday 23rd January.

Under the new legislation, prospective adoptive parents will be able to adopt from countries which have also ratified the Hague Convention, and countries with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement which meets Hague standards.

While it is true to say that our current Agreement with Vietnam is based on Hague principles, as part of the preparations for our new legislation we need to ensure that our Agreement reflects the Hague Convention as comprehensively as possible. A new Agreement allows the opportunity to elaborate and strengthen some existing provisions to meet the standards which will it is anticipated will be set in draft legislation. There have been considerable developments in intercountry adoption in Vietnam since the Agreement was signed 5 years ago. This progress also needs to be reflected in any new Agreement.

In December 2008, the Irish Government issued a formal request to the Vietnamese Authorities stating that we wish to enter into discussions immediately for the purpose of negotiating a new Agreement to follow on from the existing Agreement which will expire on 1 May 2009. The Vietnamese Authorities have responded positively to Ireland's request.

Ireland offered to provide the Vietnamese Authorities with the text of a draft agreement as a basis for negotiations. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a draft bilateral agreement for intercountry adoption was delivered on 6 March, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to the Vietnamese Authorities for their consideration.

I would like to again reiterate my personal commitment and the commitment of the Government to conclude an agreement with Vietnam and, in this regard, a letter accompanying the draft agreement advised the Vietnamese Government of our willingness to travel to discuss the draft at the earliest opportunity.

As the Deputy will be aware, it is important to recognise that Ireland has a long and positive relationship with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and to also emphasise the need to respect the authority of that jurisdiction, having regard to the sensitive nature of discussions regarding intercountry adoption.

The work to prepare for and advise the Government on this issue and the implementation of Government's decisions is being given the highest priority. These are complex matters which require careful consideration. At all times, the Minister and the Government, and officials advising them, are guided by the need to respect and protect the best interests and rights of the child.