Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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168. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the ongoing negotiations over a bilateral agreement on inter-country adoption between Ireland and the Russian Federation; when an agreement will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9799/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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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.

Further correspondence was received from the Russian authorities in October and December 2014. Consideration of these communications is currently taking place in my Department.