Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Chair and Deputy Hayes. While I will not be accepting the amendment, I agree with the Deputy that it is an area the Department has a lot of work to do in and it is something I would certainly be happy to work with Deputy Hayes or any Deputy on in this space.

As regards the specific amendment, the matter involved is outside the scope of our Department. The Minister for Health has lead responsibility for the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024. That far-reaching legislation is complex but encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices in this jurisdiction, including domestic altruistic surrogacy. It also provides for the regulation of future surrogacy arrangements undertaken by Irish residents in other jurisdictions. The legislation allows for the creation of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority to recognise the parentage arising from past domestic and international surrogacy arrangements.

With regard to surrogacy leave, the programme for Government has a commitment to introduce paid surrogacy leave. The Department of children has lead policy and legislative responsibility in this space. We will then take on the responsibility for the benefit when it is introduced. While I am not in a position to accept the amendment this evening, I agree it is an area for which there is much work to be done. I hope that, during my time in the Department, we can do some work in relation to this whole area.