Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 81: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 260 of 21 January 2010, when the Adoption Bill 2009 will be enacted; the countries with which families here can enter adoption agreements when it is enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9729/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Adoption Bill 2009 was published in January 2009 and completed all stages in the Seanad by May 2009. Second stage was commenced in Dáil Éireann on 18th November 2009 and completed on 21st January 2010. Committee stage commenced on 17 February 2010 and is scheduled to recommence on 2nd March. It is hoped that the Bill will complete its passage through both Houses shortly thereafter.

For an adoption to be registered under the Adoption Bill, once enacted and commenced, it must be effected in a contracting State to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption or in a country with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. For non - Hague countries, only those adoptions effected prior to the commencement of the new law, or those effected under the recently announced transitional measures, can be registered on the Register of Inter-Country Adoptions to be established under the Bill.

A list of countries which are signatories to the Hague Convention is available on the Adoption Boards website at www.adoptionboard.ie