105 Mr. J. Fox asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce legislation which will provide, without exception, for the recognition by the State of adoptions which have been effected in other countries in accordance with the law applying in those countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4438/95]

106 Mr. J. Fox asked the Minister for Health the specific grounds on which it is considered that an adoption effected under Guatemalan law does not have essentially the same legal effect as respects the termination and creation of parental rights and duties with respect to the child as an adoption effected by an adoption order in this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4039/95]

107 Mr. J. Fox asked the Minister for Health if he will provide for the recognition of adoptions which have been conducted in other countries in accordance with the law applying in those countries but which are not currently recognised by the State in the context of forthcoming legislation to enable ratification of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption; if not, the reason therefor; his views on whether such adoptions involve the creation of a new parent-child relationship within the meaning of the Hague Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[4440/95]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 106 and 107 together.

The current statutory provisions relating to the recognition of foreign adoptions are set out in the Adoption Act, 1991. A central requirement for recognition is that an adoption effected abroad must comply with the terms of the definition of a foreign adoption contained in the Act. Broadly speaking, adoptions effected in countries which operate systems of legal adoption similar to our own system qualify for recognition under the legislation.