Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding Irish adoptions from Ethiopia; if the adoptions from countries in the process but not completed when the Adoption Bill 2009 is enacted, will be allowed to be finalised irrespective of whether the country is a signatory to the Hague Convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42589/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made to date on a possible bilateral agreement with Ethiopia in relation inter-country adoption; if she has met with the Irish Ethiopia Adoption Organisation to discuss transition measures, if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43052/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 251 together.

The Adoption Bill, 2009, which is designed to give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, has passed through the Seanad and commenced its second stage process in Dail Eireann on the 18th November. The new legislation, which incorporates the provisions of the Hague Convention, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed and that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child. Future intercountry adoption arrangements will be governed by the terms of the Adoption Bill 2009 when enacted.

The current policy position, as set out in the Adoption Bill 2009, is that for an adoption to be registered under the Bill it must be effected in a country with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement or have been effected prior to the commencement of the new law.

The issue of transitional measures for prospective parents who are at a definable stage in the adoption process when the Bill is enacted and who wish to continue to adopt a child from a non-Hague, non-bilateral country, is being examined. Prospective adoptive parents have waited a long time and it is my intention to be as flexible as possible in relation to applicants.

My officials, in consultation with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, have been doing preparatory work on a possible bilateral agreement with Ethiopia. Consideration of this is at an early stage.