Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Derek Keating.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
if there has been any resolution of these difficulties; the likelihood of a restoration of foreign
adoption agreement with the Vietnamese authorities; and if she will make a statement on the
matter. [7852/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): The Hague Convention
on Intercountry Adoption entered into force for Vietnam on 1 February 2012. The ratification
of the Hague Convention by Vietnam, the associated changes in Vietnamese law and the
arrangements being put in place to support on the ground implementation are hugely significant
changes in the intercountry adoption regime in that country since adoptions between Ireland
and Vietnam ceased. Ireland withdrew from negotiations on a bilateral agreement. The Vietnamese
Government, very prudently in my view, ceased allowing adoptions from that jurisdiction
in 2010 in order to focus on responding to the issues raised in two separate reports, prepared
by the International Social Service on behalf of UNICEF Vietnam and the Department of
Adoption of the Ministry of Justice, Vietnam, and to focus its efforts on the ratification of the
Hague Convention.
As I have reported my recent visit to Vietnam, which focused on intercountry adoption, was
very positive. It coincided with a visit of a delegation from the Adoption Authority of Ireland
to Vietnam to discuss administrative matters in relation to intercountry adoptions on foot of
Vietnam’s ratification of the Hague Convention.
Under section 72 of the Adoption Act 2010, the Adoption Authority may enter into administrative
arrangements with another contracting State. In this context, the Authority has prepared
and submitted to the Vietnamese authorities a suggested scheme of administrative arrangements
to be established between Ireland and Vietnam for the resumption of intercountry adoption
between the two States. The Authority is awaiting the response of the Vietnamese authorities
to this proposal.
The Adoption Authority has also recently announced its approval of ARC Adoption Ltd as
a registered accredited body for the purposes of adoption mediation within Vietnam. Further
applications from other bodies remain under consideration by the Authority and a decision is
anticipated shortly in this regard. Agencies accredited by the Adoption Authority of Ireland
also require the approval of the Vietnamese authorities.
Health Service Inspections
81. Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the actions
that the Health Service Executive has taken to implement the Health Information Quality
Authority recommendations on the Gleann Alainn residential unit in Cork. [8078/12]
102. Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs since the
publication of the last Health Information Quality Authority report, the number of children
who have been locked in their bedrooms form 7.30 p.m. in the Gleann Alainn, Cork, residential
unit; the number of times that restraints have been used; and if she will make a statement on
the matter. [8079/12]
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): I propose to take
Questions Nos. 81 and 102 together.
In October 2011, the Heath Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) conducted an unannounced
inspection of Gleann Alainn Special Care Unit. It found at the time of their inspection,
that it was in a state of crisis, due primarily to the poor standard of management which impacted
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