Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I apologise for that.

Ought public policy instruments be used, or could they be used, to discourage the practice of surrogacy separately from the question of whether one regulates the practice the way proposed or otherwise?

Dr. Madden mentioned the real reason people go abroad is that legal regimes abroad are more favourable. Is that really the case? Is not a big aspect of this the financial and social vulnerability of people in developing world countries in this area? There are countries in the western world where this is legal but - my understanding is and I could be wrong on this - it is not to those countries people are going. This issue is inextricably connected with poverty, financial vulnerability and disadvantage. Is it really correct to say that the primary reason is the more favourable legal regimes or whether it is really separable from the financial vulnerability of people? Those are my questions on the subject of surrogacy. I will leave it at that. I have other questions abut birth certificates and so on but I will hold them for the moment.