Hundreds of Irish couples hoping to adopt a child from abroad have been given new hope following an agreement between the Government and Vietnam, which has been announced by the Minister of State for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan.
The Vietnamese suspended adoptions last January with all countries with which it did not have bilateral agreements, amid reports that some children in a number of unidentified countries had been abused.
The Asian country has become a popular country for Irish couples trying to adopt. Between 1999 and 2002, 102 children were brought to Ireland.
Efforts by the Irish Adoption Board during the course of 2002 to agree an arrangement short of an official bilateral deal with the Vietnamese authorities failed.
Mr Lenihan will produce legislation in the autumn, following the conclusion of an ongoing consultation process.
Under Irish law, the Adoption Board is unable to compel parents to furnish reports after the child has been given into their care, even though these are required for inter-country adoptions.
An informal system to ensure proper follow-up, which was set up by the Adoption Board after a bilateral deal was agreed with Romania, has operated effectively. "No problems are foreseen with this agreement either," said a Government source.
The Minister of State's legislation will see Ireland ratifying the Hague Convention on Inter-Country adoptions. The Adoption Board will be given powers to enforce demands for regular updates from adoptive parents.
Following the suspension, the Irish Ambassador to Malaysia and Vietnam, Mr Dan Mulhall, opened discussions with the Vietnamese authorities in a bid to get a bilateral deal on track.
A deal was struck in Hanoi in March and April between Mr Mulhall and senior officials from the Vietnamese Ministry for Justice led a senior official, Mr Nguyen Van Binh.
The Vietnamese Minister for Justice, Dr Uong Chu Luu, met the Irish delegation, which included officials from the Department of Health and Children and the Adoption Board.
Mr Lenihan said last night: "I am pleased to be able to announce that a common understanding has now been achieved by both sides on all issues and that agreement has been reached between our two countries.
"This agreement is in line with the principles of the Hague Convention and allows Irish couples to give a home to children who might otherwise have had to be institutionalised."