Ms Saoirse Brady:

The Children's Rights Alliance seeks the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which extends from birth to 18 years of age. As we have more than 100 members, we have to balance their interests in taking their views into consideration. In respect of this legislation, our focus is on the rights of the child. We recognise that thousands of children who are being brought up in different family forms are not currently being provided for. This legislation is long overdue, therefore, and we welcome it.

Our board has not taken a formal stance on surrogacy and assisted human reproduction but we consider the right to identity as being in the child's best interest. This legislation is child-focused and our full submission contains a table which shows how the provisions under head 32, on the best interest of the child, reflect the UN convention.