Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if adoptions from Vietnam are set to restart in January 2011 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31000/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Adoption Bill, 2009, has completed its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas and is due to be enacted shortly. It is my intention to lodge the papers for the ratification of the Hague Convention following enactment of the Bill. The Convention comes into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of three months after the deposit of the instrument in accordance with Article 46 (2) (a).

It is my understanding that the Vietnamese National Assembly has recently passed legislation which should allow for a move to ratification of the Hague Convention. In the event that both Ireland and Vietnam ratify the Convention there is every reason to expect that adoptions from Vietnam could re-commence subject to the provisions of the Convention being met in this regard.

At the time of ratification Ireland and Vietnam will each designate a Central Authority to discharge the duties which are imposed by the Hague Convention. Administrative arrangements will be a matter for the Adoption Authority, as Ireland's designated Central Authority, to make with the designated Vietnamese Central Authority. As both countries will have ratified the Hague Convention there will be no need for a formal bi-lateral agreement with regard to inter-country adoption.