Minister for Children travels to Vietnam for adoption talks

The Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald travels to Vietnam today for talks aimed at re-opening adoption links between Ireland and the South East Asian country.

Ireland opted out of its inter-country adoption agreement with Vietnam in May 2009 because of concerns raised by UNICEF in relation to adoption practices in the country.

Prior to that, Vietnam was one of the most popular countries for Irish people wishing to adopt children from overseas.

In November last year, Vietnam ratified the Hague Convention which paves the way for Irish couples to adopt Vietnamese children again.