Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In 2005 the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction recommended there should be an independent regulatory authority to deal with all of the issues with DAHR and AHR, assisted human reproduction. This is not in place yet. Regarding the original provisions in the Bill and the developments in the provisions dealing with identity, the appropriate Ministry is the Department of Health. I thank the Department for the work it has done in this because provisions have had to be brought in ahead of the comprehensive legislation needed in this area. There has been detailed contact and consultations with the Department to arrive at this particular architecture in the legislation.

In the first instance, this register would be the responsibility of the Department of Health which has agreed to take it on. As the legislation develops, the work that unit is doing within the Department of Health would be taken over by the authority which will be responsible for AHR. The Department will be responsible for the development of this register. It has much contact with the clinics and it will be working closely with them to establish the range of procedures necessary to ensure this will operate effectively.