Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the status of a bilateral agreement or the drafting of such an agreement on adoption in Russia by Irish parents; the issues still outstanding in regard to missing post-placement reports; the delays that are being experienced by parents wishing to adopt from Russia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33438/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has no bilateral intercountry adoption agreement in place with Russia. However, work on the preparation of a draft agreement with the Russian authorities is being undertaken. I am aware that there are people who have received Declarations of Eligibility and Suitability to adopt outside the State and may intend to adopt from Russia. The decision regarding the country of choice for adoption is a matter for prospective applicants. This choice obviously should have regard to their personal preference, to their knowledge of and/or connection with the proposed country of origin and, also, to the status of the country as a contracting State either to the Hague Convention or to a bilateral agreement.

The Adoption Bill, 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention, was published on 23 January, 2009. The Bill, which recently passed all the stages in the Seanad, will continue to be prioritised by the Government for its passage through the Oireachtas. Any applicant who is seeking to proceed with an adoption from a non-Hague country, or from a country with which Ireland does not have a bilateral agreement, should have regard to the likelihood of the adoption being completed in advance of the Adoption Bill being commenced.

In relation to post-placement reports, an extensive examination of a list of required post-placement reports was carried out by the Health Service Executive and the Adoption Board. The Adoption Board has written to the Russian Embassy arising from this examination. I understand that the majority of the outstanding reports have been completed and are with the adoptive parents for translation, apostilling and notarisation — that is, the social workers have already conducted the home visit and the report. In a small number of cases, parents have neglected or have been unwilling or unable to arrange for a home visit with their social worker. Further contact has been made again to arrange for all outstanding visits to be undertaken and is being prioritised by the Health Service Executive Adoption Services to ensure that the parents can have the required reports forwarded to the Russian Embassy in Dublin.