Minister confident Chernobyl children travel ban will be lifted

A ban on Chernobyl children travelling on recuperation holidays to Ireland may be lifted by Belarus in time for Christmas, it emerged today.

Up to 50 local charities have been bringing 2,500 children to Ireland every year since the early 1990s.

However the failure of a small number of children to return from the US during the summer led the Belarus authorities to impose a ban in late August on all such overseas visits.

But Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin now believes Ireland and Belarus are close to signing a formal agreement on future rest and recuperation holidays.

The Attorney General and officials from several departments are currently studying the text of the deal drafted by Belarusian authorities.

Mr Martin has also secured formal Cabinet approval to sign the agreement as soon as negotiations are concluded.

“Close contact is being maintained with the charities dealing with Chernobyl children as the situation evolves, and I am personally determined to find a satisfactory outcome to this issue,” the minister said.

The Chernobyl Children’s Project International (CCPI) led by Adi Roche hopes that 100 children can travel to Ireland for Christmas.

The issue was raised in the Dáil last night by Fine Gael TD Dan Neville.

Earlier this year, Irish Aid allocated €600,000 over three years to CCPI day-care centres in Belarus.