Fianna Fáil under fire over Russian adoption ban
The Russian Ministry of Education blacklisted regions within more than a dozen countries, including Ireland, the US, Britain and France. This resulted in the suspension of referrals for adoption in these countries.
The situation regarding Ireland relates to the alleged non-completion of a series of post-placement reports to be lodged with the Russian authorities.
However, this is not an Irish legal requirement. While neither the Adoption Board nor the HSE has a statutory function in the provision of post-placement reports, they facilitate the preparation of the reports.
A commitment is given by adoptive parents in an affidavit that they will co-operate in the provision of such reports.
Speaking on behalf of Minister for Children Barry Andrews in a recent Seanad debate, Fianna Fáil Minister of State Michael Finneran said: “According to information received from the HSE, more than half of the reports listed by the Russian authorities as outstanding had previously been completed by the adoptive parents and forwarded to the Russian Embassy in Dublin. The majority of the remaining reports have been completed by the HSE and are with the adoptive parents.
“In a small number of cases adoptive parents have not engaged with the HSE, thus preventing the completion of reports,” he said.
Speaking yesterday Fine Gael Senator Fidelma Healy Eames said the current situation was “completely unacceptable”, with Mr Andrews saying one things and the HSE saying another.
“Now, in a response to me in the Seanad, we have Deputy Michael Finneran, speaking on behalf of Minister Andrews, saying that it is current adoptive parents who are at fault for failing to return post placement reports. This situation is completely unacceptable,”
Ms Healy Eames said the minister needed to be firm on the issue and that all sides must come together to ensure the ban on adoption from Russia being lifted.
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