Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason Vietnam recently agreed to process 20 packs that were in Vietnam after the former bilateral agreement on adoption had lapsed; if she will confirm that these couples had received referral before the collapse of the agreement on 1 May 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32173/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, I visited the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in June/July last. During the course of our discussions on the agreement, the situation of 20 applications on hand in Hanoi, which were due to be returned by the Department of International Adoptions in Vietnam, was discussed. The Vietnamese side agreed to process the 20 applications as a gesture of goodwill.

I made this request having regard to the unique position of the 20 families in this category. They were at a very advanced stage of the process and their applications were submitted to the Department of International Adoptions by the 1st April deadline although they had not received a referral before the expiry of the agreement on May 1st.

The gesture by the Vietnamese Government reflects the good relationship between the two countries and the genuine desire of both sides to continue this relationship into the future. I briefed the House in detail last week on the broader developments regarding the bi-lateral agreement over the period since then. All applications currently being dealt with by the Vietnamese Government – including these 20 – will be processed to conclusion as part of transitional arrangements provided for by the Vietnamese side.