Crisis for Intercountry Adoptions
The 1st of May saw a treaty which enabled people in Ireland to adopt Vietnamese children lapse. This has caused a huge outcry amongst those who are trying to adopt. Many have spent years going through all the paperwork and now their efforts have come to nought because our government was so careless, it didn’t bother to renew the treaty.
My Labour collegaues, Michael D. Higgins, Joan Burton and Joe Costello all raised this issue in the Dáil this week. You can read Joe Costello’s speech here.
The government has been extremely lax in an area which is of great importance and sensitivity for a large number of people in Ireland. The fact that the Minister did not travel to Vietnam last year in order to prvent what has happened from occuring is indicative of their inattention.
When Barry Andrews, the Minister for Children, was asked in the Dáil if he had a timeframe in mind to agree a new treaty, the last word of his 6 page speech said it all – “No”.
