106 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress which has been made in signing a bilateral agreement with Vietnam concerning adoption by Irish people; and if such agreement will be completed by March 2002. [3027/02]

I have been advised by the Adoption Board that further to inquiries from prospective adoptive parents in November, 2001 the Adoption Board wrote to the Vietnamese Minister for Justice, who has responsibility for adoption matters, on 9 November 2001, inquiring if it would be possible to enter into a working arrangement with the board concerning the adoption of Vietnamese children by Irish couples. The board has not yet received a formal reply from the Department of Justice and will keep me informed of any developments on this issue.

The board has also been in contact with the Irish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has been advised that the Vietnamese authorities will be suspending adoptions, although no definite date has been given. I understand the consular section of the Department of Foreign Affairs has sought an update from the Irish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The board is keeping me appraised of developments in this matter.

In considering working arrangements with other countries it is essential that we are satisfied that these arrangements uphold the spirit of the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption and that all adoptions take place in the best interests of the children concerned.

107 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the problems being experienced by Irish people concerning adoption of Chinese babies; and if he will make a statement on the status of the bilateral agreement. [3028/02]

In 1998, the Adoption Board and the Chinese authorities agreed on working arrangements to facilitate the adoption of Chinese children by Irish residents. China is one of the most popular countries of choice for applicants wishing to adopt abroad and the experiences of applicants who have adopted there has been very positive. I understand that to date approximately 60 children from China have had their adoptions recognised by the Adoption Board and that over seventy applicants are currently on a waiting list for a referral from China.