Madam, – I refer to the letters written by prospective adoptive parents (May 14th) in relation to the delays concerning Vietnamese adoptions.
I completely understand from the point of view of a prospective adoptive parent that waiting for a child must be agonising, but surely it is better to wait a little longer in order to ensure that an adoption is ethical?
The ratification of the Hague Convention, which is the cause of the delays, should be wholeheartedly welcomed as it helps to prevent corruption in adoption.
It must not be forgotten that there are thousands of Irish children who are also waiting, ie, the children in the foster care system who need good homes.
There are many wonderful Irish people willing to offer homes to children through adoption and as we have seen, they often find themselves at the mercy of lengthy waiting lists, resulting in great stress and strain.
I would urge these people to investigate the option of long-term fostering as they have the possibility to greatly improve the lives of needy Irish children. – Yours, etc,