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Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, signs Administrative Agreement on intercountry adoption with Vietnam
Dr Geoffrey Shannon, Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland (Adoption Authority of Ireland) today signed, on behalf of the AAI, an administrative agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on intercountry adoption.
Dr Shannon said “I am pleased to have signed this Administrative Agreement today. It is a concrete example of the provisions of the Adoption Act 2010 operating in a manner that will assist in ensuring that intercountry adoptions are processed in accordance with the highest international standards. I welcome Minister Ha Hung Cuong, Minister of Justice in Vietnam, to Ireland”. The Administrative Agreement was signed by Dr. Nguyen Van Binh, on behalf of the Ministry for Justice in Vietnam which is the National Central Authority in Vietnam for the purposes of intercountry adoption.
Dr.Shannon stated that: “The Administrative Agreement is the culmination of administrative, political and diplomatic efforts over the last two years leading to arrangements that place children at the centre of the adoption process. I appreciate the efforts of all involved in this process both in Ireland and Vietnam”.
Dr. Shannon said “I hope the signing of this agreement will strengthen intercountry adoption arrangements between Ireland and Vietnam. I hope that these Administrative arrangements between Ireland and Vietnam will act as a template for future cooperation with other Hague contracting States in the intercountry adoption area”.
The Chairperson and officials of the AAI were in attendance yesterday at a "Family Day" in Farmleigh hosted by Minister Fitzgerald where they met a large group of Vietnamese children already living in Ireland.