Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding adoptions from Vietnam and the position regarding the accreditation of an adoption agency (details supplied); her plans to bring forward any new proposals in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36724/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Vietnamese authorities deposited the instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention earlier this month. Therefore, the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption will enter into force for Vietnam on 1 February 2012.

As provided for in Section 72 of the Adoption Act, 2010, the Adoption Authority may establish administrative arrangements concerning the processing of applications with other Hague countries in relation to intercountry adoptions. Preliminary discussions have taken place regarding official visits and exchange of information between Ireland and Vietnam with a view to putting in place administrative arrangements under Section 72 of the 2010 Act.

While the Hague Convention will take effect in Vietnam in February next, it is not yet clear how soon after that arrangements will be in place, in both jurisdictions, to allow inter country adoption recommence. It might also be anticipated that for any sending country, commencing implementation of the Hague framework, will begin slowly and may prioritise children with higher levels of need. While every effort is being made by Irish authorities to develop the necessary administrative agreement and other requirements, certain operational elements of the process are purely a matter for the sending country.

The position regarding the adoption agency referred to by the Deputy is that the application for accreditation by that agency is a matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland. The Department understands that the Adoption Authority is awaiting information from the HSE on this matter.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to allow the Adoption Authority to commence negotiations with the Ethiopian authorities in order to allow inter-country adoptions between Ireland and Ethiopia. [36763/11]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of her decision to examine with the Adoption Authority of Ireland the possibility of a bilateral agreement for adoption with Russia, which is not a signatory of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, that she will also consider doing the same for Ethiopia from which nearly 300 children have been adopted into Irish families in the past 20 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36875/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 210 together.

The negotiation of bilateral agreements on intercountry adoption with non-contracting states is governed by Section 73 of the Adoption Act 2010 which states that "the Authority, with the prior consent of the Minister, may enter into discussions with any non-contracting state concerning the possibility of the Government entering into a bilateral agreement with that State." Ethiopia, as it is not a signatory of Hague, is covered by Section 73 of the Adoption Act, 2010. As the Hague Convention is designed to ensure a minimum set of standards in intercountry adoption, the Adoption Authority have indicated that their first priority is to reach agreements on arrangements with other Hague countries.