Government took year to act over Tristan

THE Department of Foreign Affairs was aware that three-year-old Tristan Dowse was left in an orphanage by his family a year ago, however the investigation into the legality of the adoption only began last week.

A spokesperson for Adoption Ireland said serious questions must now be asked as to why the Irish Adoption Board recognised this adoption, when a simple check with the Indonesian authorities would have confirmed its illegality.

The Department of Foreign Affairs only became aware of question marks surrounding his adoption from a media report last Sunday and have since sent a team to Jakarta to investigate the matter.