Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason that an agency (details supplied) has had its licence revoked; if this is a permanent measure; the actions that are being taken to help parents and children associated with this agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27156/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, I was informed by the Department of Foreign Affairs on 12 June last that the Vietnamese licence held by the Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency had been revoked by the Vietnamese authorities. The Government had previously requested that this licence be suspended rather than revoked in light of the on-going discussions with Vietnamese officials on a strengthened bilateral inter-country adoption agreement. Unfortunately, in the absence of a full agreement between Ireland and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Vietnamese Government was not in a position to make any exception to the granting of a licence to Helping Hands.

I subsequently advised the representative groups on these developments, and the applicants involved were also contacted by Helping Hands. Despite these events, I must emphasise that all of the applicants who have already received a referral in respect of a child from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will have their applications processed to conclusion, and applicants will be supported by Helping Hands in that process, by agreement with the Vietnamese authorities.

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a sovereign state and the decisions that it makes regarding the internal regulation and management of its adoption services must be treated sensitively as appropriate to a sovereign state.

The reinstatement of the Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency's licence would be a necessary part of any new bilateral inter-country adoption agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I can assure the Deputy that the work to prepare for and advise the Government on a strengthened bilateral inter-country adoption agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has been given, and continues to be given, the very highest priority by my Office.