35 US-born children adopted by Irish families

THIRTY FIVE AMERICAN-born children have been adopted by Irish families in the past four years, under an international adoption agreement.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone was briefed on the impact of the Irish-American agreement by the Irish Adoption Authority in New York today.

The authority is in the US for an annual review of the arrangement, which has been in operation since 2013.

Speaking following the briefing, Zappone said: “Every child deserves a loving and safe home – and distance should be no object in achieving that goal.”

The minister thanked the authority’s chair Dr Geoffrey Shannon and CEO Patricia Carey for their “vision to put in place our arrangement with the United States”.

She described the agreement as “the most comprehensive ever between the United States and another country”.

For 35 children from New York, Florida, California and Pennsylvania the agreement has meant a new life in Ireland. One can only imagine the hope,joy and love that each of these adoptions represents.

Zappone said most of the children are around six months old when placed with their new Irish family.

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