Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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30. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the signed agreement with Vietnam regarding inter-country adoptions came into operational effect before the end of April 2013 as previously advised; the up-to-date position regarding arrangements for inter-country adoptions with Ethiopia, India and Russia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21762/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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In September 2012 the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and the Vietnamese Central Authority for Adoption signed an administrative arrangement for intercountry adoption. The administrative arrangement is the first international arrangement for intercountry adoption entered into by the AAI and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since both countries ratified the Hague Convention. The Adoption Authority accredited Helping Hands for activities in relation to facilitating adoptions from Vietnam and Helping Hands has recently received confirmation from the Vietnamese authorities of its approval to operate there. I met recently with representatives of Helping Hands who informed me that they expect adoptions to commence shortly. In March I lead a delegation to India which included the Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland and a departmental official. The visit, which was in conjunction with representing the Irish Government at official functions in India for St Patrick's Day, afforded me the opportunity to assess the position in relation to intercountry adoption in India and to clarify issues in relation to the requirements of the Indian authorities in that regard. I was advised that registration is now open with CARA (the Indian Central Authority) for special needs cases; this includes children with intellectual or physical disabilities, siblings including twins, and children over five years of age. It was explained that Indian currently operates intercountry adoption with other Hague countries without the need for any specific administrative arrangements of the type in place with Vietnam.

I have also travelled to Moscow, accompanied by Dr Geoffrey Shannon, Chair of the Adoption Authority, in order to discuss at a diplomatic level issues in relation to the potential for a bilateral agreement with Russia. During my visit I met with my counterpart, Minister Dmitry Livanov, Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. This meeting was productive and allowed for an exchange of views on the possibility of Ireland entering into a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption with Russia. Russia and Ethiopia are not signatories of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. In these circumstances, future adoptions from Russia and Ethiopia would require a bilateral agreement between Ireland and these countries. The Russian authorities acknowledged the satisfactory outcomes for Russian children adopted in Ireland and expressed a willingness to conclude an agreement with Ireland which would be subject to the approval of the Russian parliament. My Department, in consultation with the AAI, is continuing efforts to draft wording of a bilateral agreement, including in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, which would satisfy our legal and Constitutional requirements, in particular in relation to the Russian requirement for post adoption reports. The wording of the draft bilateral agreement will be a matter of consideration by the Attorney General's office in advance of any further discussions with the Russian authorities.

The Adoption Authority delegation visit to Ethiopia in April last year was an initial part of the Authority's deliberations on the feasibility and suitability of entering into discussions with Ethiopia on a bilateral adoption agreement. The Authority is examining the compatibility of the Irish and Ethiopian adoption legislation.