Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

A child is already becoming a commodity, but a woman is an incubator that has to carry this product for someone. That is what he said. In addition, there is a human rights ombudsman for Ukraine's Parliament who basically said that Ukraine is just turning into an online store for little ones. This is very concerning. Perhaps a better way, surely, is to have countries such as Ukraine agree not to allow couples from countries where commercial surrogacy is banned to avail of it there.

Ireland could easily seek to enter into such an agreement. We have big international agreements already in relation to international adoptions.

I am quite astonished. We have not learned anything from the past, particularly on how we treated women in our mother and baby homes, that we are happy to stand over the behaviour as long as we do not see it and it is in another country. Commercial surrogacy does not sit right with me. I know it is a sensitive subject. Those are merely my concerns.

Perhaps Professor O'Mahony can give me some indication of the international agreements. Is there a possibility of an easier way for the country to seek such agreements in relation to adoption? Would that be a better way to go?