Vietnam and Ireland -- Looks like another step has been taken this week on the road toward reopening intercountry adoptions between Vietnam and Ireland

According to the International Adoption Association (Ireland) website ( http://www.iaaireland.org/), there were meetings this week between the Irish Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Vietnamese Minister for Justice.  This appears to be another step taken towards reopening intercountry adoptions between Ireland and Vietnam.  According to Minister Fitzgerald:

My visit will coincide with an official visit by the Adoption Authority of Ireland, led by Mr Geoffrey Shannon to Vietnam where they will commence discussions on administrative arrangements for intercountry adoption between Ireland and Vietnam as provided for by Article 72 of the Adoption Act 2010.

The Minister said “I know a lot of Irish families have been very patient in regard to the long wait for Vietnam to complete the ratification of Hague. The re-establishment of our relationship with Vietnam in respect to intercountry adoption has been a priority for me since I became Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I acknowledge the commitment of the Vietnamese Government to the establishment of a safe adoption regime under the Hague Convention and their continued commitment to engage with the Irish Government on this issue.  I am hopeful that the progress made to date will continue and Vietnam’s arrangements for the adoption of children in need of homes will involve Irish families into the future.

While in Vietnam I have a comprehensive schedule of official meetings with representatives of the Vietnamese Government and a range of other official engagements.
In relation to the possibility of intercountry adoption between our two countries I will meet with Mr Ha Hung Cuong, Minister of Justice and Mr Nguyen van Binh, Director General of the Vietnamese Adoption Department.