MINISTER FOR Children Frances Fitzgerald will visit Vietnam this week to meet senior government officials and work on establishing intercountry adoptions between both countries.
Ms Fitzgerald departed for Vietnam yesterday for an official visit, during which she will meet the republic’s minister for justice and discuss the adoption issue.
Since the Adoption Act came into force in November 2010, Irish families who wish to adopt may only do so from countries who have ratified the Hague Convention on the protection of children and on intercountry adoptions. Vietnam is not yet a signatory of the agreement and the Act has affected some Irish families who had started the process of adopting a child from that country.
Ms Fitzgerald’s visit coincides with an official visit by the Adoption Authority of Ireland, led by solicitor Geoffrey Shannon, to Vietnam. Mr Shannon and his colleagues will have discussions on administrative arrangements for intercountry adoption between Ireland and Vietnam, as provided for by article 72 of the Adoption Act.
Ms Fitzgerald said: “I know a lot of Irish families have been very patient in regard to the long wait for Vietnam to complete the ratification of Hague.
“The re-establishment of our relationship with Vietnam in respect to intercountry adoption has been a priority for me since I became Minister.”
She acknowledged the commitment of the Vietnamese government to develop a safe adoption regime. “I am hopeful that the progress made to date will continue,” she said.
