Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, Committee Stage in respect of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 was completed on 6^th March 2024. The text of the Bill as amended by the Select Committee on Health was published on 22^nd April 2024 on the Oireachtas website: data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2022/29/eng/ver_a/b29a22d.pdf.

I can assure the Deputy that finalising the Bill is a priority and intensive work is ongoing to achieve this. I am not in a position to provide definitive timelines. However, I am hopeful that Report Stage can commence this month, subject to the completion of the drafting of any further required amendments and Oireachtas scheduling. I also intend to hold a further technical briefing session for Select Committee members prior to Report Stage.

Finally, I wish to reiterate my commitment to ensuring both that the goal of providing for a route to formal recognition by the State of past surrogacy arrangements or surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions is achieved and that a robust regulatory framework for AHR (assisted human reproduction) more broadly is put in place, as quickly as possible.