Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding a bilateral adoption agreement with Ethiopia; the outcome of discussions with an organisation (details supplied) following their annual general meeting in February 2010; if it is envisioned that parents here will be able to adopt from Ethiopia in the near future; if not, if transitional measures will be put in place for parents who have sent their declaration to Ethiopia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12268/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Adoption Bill, 2009, 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. 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.

Ireland does not have a bilateral agreement with Ethiopia in respect of adoption. Consideration of this matter is at an early stage. I can confirm that I have had ongoing contact with the Irish Ethiopian Adoption Organisation to discuss the position.

I brought forward at Committee stage an amendment to the Adoption Bill 2009 that will enable prospective adoptive parents to proceed with an adoption from a non-Hague or non-bilateral country, if prior to the establishment date, they have been issued with a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability to adopt. The proposed amendment requires that the Adoption Authority (to be set up under the Act) would be satisfied that the particular adoption meets all the standards of the Hague Convention. Following the Committee stage debate I am also giving consideration to the possibility of including the three month 'cooling off' period provided for in the ratification process for the Hague Convention in the transitional provision.