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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.
The number of children adopted here from abroad has fallen dramatically in the past year, the Irish Independent has learned.
There were just 200 inter-country adoptions between January and November, compared to a high of 397 in 2008.
The fall comes after the ratification by Ireland of the Hague Convention in November 2010, which excluded several countries popular with Irish people adopting children from abroad.
The treaty means that adoptions are limited to countries which have signed up to the international agreement, committing to high standards to ensure the protection of children.
The changes have added to the difficulties faced by prospective parents — many of whom have already been waiting years to adopt a child from abroad.
Very few Irish children are placed with adoption services here, meaning that most families have to look abroad.
Around 80 other countries have signed up to Hague but Ireland does not have an adoption agreement with all of them and many — including Ireland — have few children eligible for adoption. The number of infant children eligible for adoption in many of these countries is also relatively low and many tend to be older.
Popular countries such as Vietnam, Russia and Ethiopia are no longer open to Irish people seeking to adopt.
A significant number of prospective Irish adopters here had already been given the green light before the November 2010 deadline and were entitled to adopt from non-Hague countries. This has extended the choice of countries available this year — so the real impact will not be seen until 2012.
Between January and the end of September, there were 135 children adopted here from non-Hague countries, compared to just 29 from Hague countries like Mexico, USA, China and Kazakhstan.
The Adoption Authority, which took over from the Adoption Board as the regulatory body last year, has been criticised for the delay in registering children as it copes with the increasing red tape demanded by the Hague Convention.
A spokeswoman for the Adoption Authority said there were a number of factors influencing the numbers of inter-country adoptions, including increasing delays by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in assessing people’s suitability.
“Child protection here is its priority so adoption is not hugely resourced. This influences the manner in which they are can take on assessments.”
She said there also appeared to be a fall off in people proceeding with adoption because of the recession, while some were waiting to see if more countries would open up to Irish people.
Commenting on the number of children eligible for adoption compared to previous years, she said: “The simple reality is that, in a country with a lot of social problems and a lot of small babies, it might seen adoption is the natural solution. But it can be inadvertently discouraging it from developing its own systems.
“It is a good thing for children that what we are looking at no longer is a lot of very young infants being adopted. I appreciate not every adoptive parent would see it in the same light. Children are staying in their own countries more and more.”
The Department of Children and the Adoption Authority are hoping to extend the number of Hague countries open for adoption by Irish people, including Vietnam, which ratifies the Hague Treaty in February.
A delegation has also gone to Russia, which is not a Hague country, but may be amenable to a bilateral agreement with Ireland.
Russia accounted for the largest proportion — some 38pc — of all adoptions into Ireland between 1991 and 2010 .There are 1,517 children here who were born in Russia.
A review of adoption laws in Lithuania, Panama and Kenya is also under way as potential prospective countries for adoption into Ireland.
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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