Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding the proposal to establish adoption arrangements between Ireland and Kazakhstan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24643/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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With effect from 1 November 2010, intercountry adoptions can be effected with other countries which have ratified the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention) or with countries with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement. Kazakhstan has ratified the Convention.

Over the past 18 months the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) has written to its counterpart Central Authority in Kazakhstan on three separate occasions to begin the process of developing an administrative agreement for intercountry adoption. To date there has been no reply from the Kazakhstani authorities to any of the contacts made by the AAI. The Authority has continued to indicate that it is open to discussing the issue of intercountry adoptions with its Kazakhstani counterparts at any time, and the most recent correspondence from the AAI was in March of this year. I understand that an official of the Irish Embassy in Moscow has now presented the copy correspondence to, and raised the issue of intercountry adoption with, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kazakhstan. I understand the Kazakhstani authorities hosted a meeting on intercountry adoption last Friday. I would like to point out that at no stage were the AAI, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs or the Embassy contacted by the Kazakhstani authorities regarding the meeting. As soon as the issue came to the attention of my Department, official contact was made with the Embassy in Moscow in this regard. The Embassy officials in Moscow are endeavouring to secure feedback from this meeting to assess its relevance for progress towards an administrative agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and Kazakhstan

My officials are actively pursuing the matter in conjunction with the AAI. The Embassy has been asked to request information from the relevant authorities on the position for Irish couples hoping to adopt from Kazakhstan as soon as possible. In the interim the AAI is currently completing a review of Kazakhstan's adoption legislation.

The Adoption Act, 2010, which provides the legislative framework for adoption in Ireland, is designed to provide a framework to ensure that all adoptions are effected in the best interests of the child and to the highest possible standard. The phrase 'in the best interests of the child' is absolutely key in this regard. It must not be forgotten that intercountry adoption is a service for those children who cannot be raised by their birth parents or cared for in their own country. The interests of the child must always be paramount throughout the adoption process. This is best achieved through the full implementation of the highest national and international standards governing adoption practice. This is the primary concern for the Adoption Authority of Ireland in conducting its business as it relates to intercountry adoption.

Under the Hague Adoption Convention, countries seek to mutually support one another in protecting the best interests of children in the intercountry adoption process. The role of the Central Authority in each country is particularly key in overseeing standards within each jurisdiction and in facilitating collaboration between respective countries. The Adoption Authority of Ireland will continue to engage with its counterpart Central Authority in Kazakhstan with a view to progressing potential collaboration in the best interests of children.