Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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157. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Egyptian Government do not set up a bilateral agreement with the Irish State in the case of child abductions, if he will outline the way he will initiate a plan/proposal to pressurise countries who do not recognise the Hague convention or bilateral arrangements to do so. [49739/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, international law governs the area of child abduction and it is a matter for every State to decide whether they accede to such law. Egypt is not a contracting state to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. I have contacted my counterpart in Egypt proposing that their officials and my Department explore the possibilities of reaching a bi-lateral agreement as to how to assist any family when a child has been abducted. If the proposal is acceptable, any such arrangement would be subject to negotiation with the Egyptian authorities and there is no guarantee that such a proposal will be successful or that it could apply retrospectively. I have only recently made this request so it would be premature to anticipate a response, or whether or not it will be successful at this time. I have also written to my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding cooperation and assistance as between our two Departments on this matter and my staff will be liaising with their counterparts in that Department to progress this matter as soon as possible.