Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone for their contributions. I was taken aback by them. Ms von Meding spoke about the different ways her children came into the world. Differences should be celebrated. That difference should never be a negative. I ask my children what they want to be and they say they want to be different. What the witnesses have done for themselves, their families, children, and other families and children who have not been even thought of yet, is powerful. What they are doing for other families for the next decades is commendable. I thank them all for being here. It is important. They have told us the most intimate details of their personal lives, which is not easy.

I have a simple question for Ms Merrigan. Why should we legislate for international surrogacy, based on her experience with pathways to parenthood? How do we create pathways to parenthood for existing children such as hers and for children in the future? I also have a general question, which may be a legal question, for Ms O'Connell. We speak about ethical surrogacy. Everyone wants it. Is there a definition of that? Some regularly comment on it and there is an automatic assumption that compensated or commercial surrogacy is unethical. Is not recognising that woman's sacrifice and compensating her unethical? It is not easy to have a child. Is it unethical not to recognise that huge sacrifice and gift and the incredible miracle that the woman is performing for another family?