S.I. No. 124/1997:

CHILD ABDUCTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF CUSTODY ORDERS ACT (CONTRACTING STATES) (LUXEMBOURG CONVENTION) ORDER, 1997

CHILD ABDUCTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF CUSTODY ORDERS ACT (CONTRACTING STATES) (LUXEMBOURG CONVENTION) ORDER, 1997

WHEREAS Part III of the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 , enables effect to be given to the European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions Concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children signed at Luxembourg on the 20th day of May, 1980;

AND WHEREAS it is desired to apply the provisions of that Part to establish legal co-operation between the authorities of Contracting States in matters relating to the recognition and enforcement of decisions concerning custody of children and to restoration of custody of children;

AND WHEREAS section 18(1) of the Act provides for that purpose that the Minister for Foreign Affairs may by order declare that any state specified in the order is a Contracting State for the purposes of the said Part III:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dick Spring, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 18 (1) of the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 (No. 6. of 1991), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 (Contracting States) (Luxembourg Convention) Order, 1997.

2. The following States are hereby declared to be Contracting States for the purposes of Part III of the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 :

Austria, Belgium, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

3. This Order shall come into operation on the 13th day of March, 1997.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 11th day of March, 1997.

DICK SPRING,

T.D., Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The effect of this Order is to specify, in accordance with section 18 (1) of the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991 (No. 6), states which are Contracting States for the purposes of the European Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Decisions Concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children, 1980.