Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 37: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 4 November 2010, in relation to the setting up of a bilateral agreement on adoption with Russia, the position regarding same; if she will report on action taken; if she will provide a target date for completion; her views on the reason the children's rights Ombudsman in Russia, while recently making a full statement on adoption issue, reported that they expected this year to complete bilateral agreements with the USA and France and made no reference to Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4393/11]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As stated in my previous reply, the Russian Government has made it clear that if adoptions are to continue, they wish to have bilaterals put in place with receiving countries. Prior to the establishment of the Adoption Authority, I wrote to the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation to initiate discussions on putting in place a bilateral agreement with Russia. I am still awaiting a response to this letter. I will continue to engage with the Russian authorities on this matter.

As with any bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption, a bilateral agreement with Russia would need to be explicit on the issues of consent and the financial costs of effecting an adoption.