Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for their contributions and for the work they are doing in this complex area. Deputy Kelleher has put many of the questions I wanted to ask, but I would like to address the issue of people travelling abroad. How many people travel abroad for IVF treatment, surrogacy and egg donation? Is there any way to establish the figures? One of the complaints that is made relates to the cost of treatment in Ireland compared to other jurisdictions. Why is the cost higher here compared to other EU member states? What are the figures for the number of people travelling to EU member states and outside the EU?

Dr. Waterstone said the legislation may be overly restrictive. Is there a particular jurisdiction we should examine where he believes that the correct structure is in place, which we should try to follow? I do not just refer to Europe; it could be Australia, New Zealand, Canada and so on. Are there countries we should consider that we have not examined previously to put in place a comprehensive system that is not overly restrictive but, at the same time, has the necessary structures to deal with this complex issue?

I presume all clinics provide counselling where it is deemed appropriate. Some people say it should be mandatory but the witnesses said this should be at the discretion of those managing the patient. Should that remain the position? Should the medical practitioner make that call rather than dealing with the issue through regulation or legislation?

Surrogacy is a complex issue. Is the current legislation sufficient to deal with it or is it overly restrictive as well?