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IAA are committed to providing information and support to families who are engaged in intercountry adoption. This page is being updated, and will provide initial answers to some frequently asked questions.
Background: Mexico has become increasingly popular as a country to be considered for intercountry adoption in recent years. It ratified the Hague Convention in 1995. However, the former Adoption Board and the AAI have had occasion to raise a number of concerns with diplomatic and official Mexican authorities, and has urged caution on a number of occasions over the last 15 months: previous circulars published on the www.aai.gov.ie website (and it’s forerunner, www.adoptionboard.ie ) on the following dates refer:
13 October 2010; 29 April 2011; 15 June 2011; 26 September 2011; 19 December 2011; 5 January 2012 and 12 January 2012.
News reportage: The AAI is, of course, aware of the recent and ongoing news reports relating to arrests in Mexico. The AAI does not comment on individual cases. The AAI has been in contact with the Embassy, which is providing consular assistance to the Irish citizens involved and will maintain contact, assisting the Embassy in relation to enquiries if required to do so.
Queries arising from news reports: The AAI is conscious that a number of persons may make enquiries in respect of their individual circumstances, depending on what stage of the process they may be at. The following are the general responses to those anticipated queries:
1. Prospective applicants currently being assessed for eligibility & suitability by the HSE:
assessment can proceed; National Central Authority (SRE) in Mexico has indicated willingness to accept dossiers from the AAI; likely age of children available for intercountry adoption will be 5+ (our advisory of 12/01/12 refers). You may wish to discuss this with your Social Worker.
2. a)Assessment complete, application with AAI for consideration for granting of Declaration or b) Declaration granted, applicants currently compiling ‘pack’:
Decision on Declaration is a matter for the Board; there is no impediment to changing country of choice, either prior or subsequent to the potential granting of the Declaration by the Board; you may wish to discuss with your Social Worker; if SW considers that you should request the return of your application to seek a change of country prior to consideration of your application or subsequent to the granting of a Declaration by the Board, the AAI will facilitate this: such requests should be emailed to ‘ info@aai.gov.ieThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ’ by your SW.
3. a) ‘Pack’ currently in Mexico, having been sent individually by applicant:
Applicants should seek independent legal advice in the first instance; applicants must not proceed with independent private adoptions;
b)‘pack’ sent to Regional DIF in Mexico at request of applicants:
AAI awaits referral of Article 16; applicants in this category are reminded that they must not accept a proposed placement without the issue of an Article 17 by the AAI
c)’’pack’ sent to Central Authority (SRE) in Mexico at request of applicants:
AAI awaits referral of Article 16.
4. Referral received by applicants:
Applicants are reminded that they must not accept a proposed placement without the issue of an Article 17 by the AAI; they should verify with the body from whom the referral has been received that the Article 16 has been sent to the AAI
5. Adoption effected but not registered yet:
Applicants are reminded of the statutory obligation to advise HSE and AAI that they have brought a child into the State within 3 months (Section 82 of the Adoption Act 2010 refers); the Board will consider the matter on receipt of an application for registration in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions.
6. Applications for registration currently on hand:
At the request of the Mexican authorities, the AAI has provided details to those authorities and awaits their response; it is open to those applicants to contact their agent in Mexico to discuss the matter also.
7. Entries already made in the Register of Intercountry Adoptions:
Entries made in the Register stand. However, if information of impropriety were to come to light, the AAI reserves the right to re-examine entries in the Register in view of our statutory obligation to protect the best interests and welfare of the child.
Post Adoptive? New Year's Resolution to make a Lifebook for your child(ren)? Then sign-up to participate in this practical but fun workshop.
In adoption, initiating and/or maintaining contact with birth family will always have many complexities and challenges. This workshop will explore the issues to be considered from the child’s, the adoptive parents’ and the birth parents’ point of view.
23 February - Contact with Birth Families- Issues to Consider 10 March – Lifebook – An Interactive Workshop 31 March – Sole Adopters Spring Social Network 1 April – Easter Egg Hunt All events are for IAA Members except where otherwise stated. The calendar of events for 2012 is updated as events are scheduled. Please check [...]
The following events have already taken place in 2011: Sole Adopters Network – Dublin – 28th January Practical Parenting – Dublin – 26th February Sole Adopters Q&A – Portlaoise – 26th March Nutrition for the Adopted Child – Dublin – 2nd April Easter Egg Hunt, Donadea Forest Park, Kildare – 16th April Introduction to Intercountry [...]
South Africa: Hague Convention state, but specifically informed the AAI in mid-2011 that it would NOT accept packs from Ireland at that time. The NCA has been asked for on update on their position. Irish applicants should not attempt to effect a private (non-Hague Convention) adoption in South Africa. Refer to country specific advisories. India: [...]
THERE IS no need for anyone to be concerned about inter-country adoptions into Ireland that took place before the Hague Convention was signed, the Minister for Children has told the Dáil. Frances Fitzgerald acknowledged the difference in language used “pre-Hague and post-Hague”. But she stressed “it is extremely important that there is no implication that [...]
Both Ireland and India are signatories to the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Article 2 of the Convention states that the Convention SHALL apply to all intercountry adoptions between two contracting States. On 1 July 2011, the AAI was notified by the Indian National Central Authority [...]
The numbers of Irish people applying for permission to adopt a child from abroad have fallen, according to the Health Service Executive. A spokeswoman said improved fertility treatments meant women had a greater chance of getting pregnant and giving birth. The other serious factor, of course, is the number of people who are unemployed or [...]
The Vietnamese authorities are examining a suggested scheme of administrative arrangements to be established between Ireland and Vietnam, under the terms of the 1993 Hague Convention, for the resumption of intercountry adoption between the two States. The scheme was prepared and submitted to the Vietnamese authorities by the Adoption Authority of Ireland during the course [...]
Ireland ratified the 1993 Hague Convention through the enactment of the Adoption Act on 1 November 2010. The Hague Convention sets out a robust framework for regulating intercountry adoption on a global basis. Recent events in Mexico underline the importance of the Convention in providing a framework to regulate intercountry adoption. In relation to Mexico, [...]
Dail Debate 18 January 2012 Deputy Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to raise the important issue of intercountry adoptions. I commend the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on the excellent job she has done since taking over her portfolio. She has rightly placed the welfare of our children at the heart of [...]
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald T.D, on return from her visit to Vietnam, today said that: “Since coming into office I have prioritised the development of a closer working relationship with the Vietnamese authorities on adoption. I know that this is an issue of enormous interest to prospective adopters from Ireland. [...]
Background: Mexico has become increasingly popular as a country to be considered for intercountry adoption in recent years. It ratified the Hague Convention in 1995. However, the former Adoption Board and the AAI have had occasion to raise a number of concerns with diplomatic and official Mexican authorities, and has urged caution on a [...]
A delegation from the AAI met with their counterparts in the Mexican National Central Authority in Mexico City on 9th December 2011. Items discussed included -the adoption process in Mexico -the accreditation process in Mexico for accredited bodies -Mexico and Ireland working together within the Hague Convention The Mexican authorities sought details of applications for [...]
Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, is meeting Mr. Ha Hung Cuong, Vietnamese Minister for Justice, of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam later this week and will carry out a series of engagements in relation to intercountry adoption between Ireland and Vietnam. Minister Fitzgerald said “I have accepted an invitation from Mr [...]
From the Hague Convention website (www.hcch.net)… Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Declaration by MEXICO Articles: 6,17,21,22,28,34 I. In connection with Article 6, paragraph 2, and Article 22, paragraph 2, the Systems for Integral Family Development in each of the following federal units shall act as [...]
A delegation from the AAI will visit Vietnam in January 2012 to commence discussions on possible administration arrangements for inter country adoption between Ireland and Vietnam as provided for by Article 39(2) of the 1993 Hague Convention and Section 72 of the Adoption Act 2010.
A delegation from the Department of Children & Youth Affairs and the Adoption Authority of Ireland met with officials of the Ministry of Education & Science of the Russian Federation in Moscow on 13th and 14th December 2011. The visit took place within the context of preliminary talks on the possibility of agreeing [...]
The Adoption Authority of Ireland commenced a review of the adoption law(s) of the following countries on the dates indicated - - Kazakhstan 12 October 2011 - Panama 28 November 2011 - Turkey 30 November 2011 - Russian Federation (non-Hague) 16 December 2011 - Ethiopia (non-Hague) 19 December 2011 The general process for the review [...]
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