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Children & Youth Affairs Minister Frances  Fitzgerald 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.  My visit to Hanoi over recent days provided the opportunity for direct, personal enagagement with Vietnamese conterparts and was very positive in furthering cooperation between our two countries on intercountry adoption.

The Minister was accompanied by officials from her Department and the Adoption Authority of Ireland, including Mr Geoffrey Shannon, Chairman of the Adoption Authority.  She had meetings with a range of Vietnamese Government representatives, including the Minister for Justice Mr Ha  Hung Cuong, and other organisations based in Hanoi.

The Minister said that:

I heard at first hand details of the programme of work that the Vietnamese Government has undertaken to complete the ratification of Hague and improve their systems for adoption within the country.  This process will see the Hague Convention enter into force in Vietnam on 1 February next and this provides a basis on which to renew cooperation between Ireland and Vietnam on adoption.  

The Vietnamese Minister for Justice, Mr Ha  Hung Cuong, asked me to convey to Irish families that “Vietnam is ready to implement the Hague Convention” and that “it is the Vietnamese Government’s desire to co-operate with Ireland in respect of intercountry adoption of children for whom a suitable family cannot be found in Vietnam.