Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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159. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a bilateral agreement with Russia on adoption will be concluded in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1911/15]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress in relation to negotiations between the Irish and Russian Governments to agree a bilateral agreement on adoption between the two countries; when such an agreement will be reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1922/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.

Efforts are ongoing in my Department in relation to a bilateral agreement on intercountry adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation. Following a meeting with a delegation of Russian officials in October 2013 my Department prepared revised draft wording on a number of specific points, which was forwarded to the Russian Authorities in February 2014. In transmitting these revisions it was suggested that should these revisions be acceptable to the Russian Federation, it would be useful for both sides to meet again for further discussions. In April 2014 the Ministry of Education and Science advised the Irish Embassy in Moscow that all proposed adoption agreements were on hold while the Russian Government considered proposals in relation to how they deal with adoption agreements in general.

A reply from the Russian authorities was received in my Department in October 2014 with further correspondence from the Russian authorities received in the Department on 24 December 2014. Consideration of these communications is currently taking place in my Department.

I met the Russian Irish Adoption Group in September of last year to update them on the background to and the current situation with regard to discussions on a possible bilateral adoption agreement with Russia.