Professor Nóirín Hayes:

On the counselling issue, and assisted human reproduction in general, the evidence of research indicates that the more information and support are given from the beginning to the end, the better the outcomes are for everybody. I would add to the Bill something referring to the lifespan of the child into adulthood. There are balances to be achieved in the area of costs but the State should contribute at some level if it is regulating for the general area.

The need to carry out studies in addition to those carried out on people up to age 14 was mentioned. This is a longitudinal study on children from birth onwards. The longitudinal commitment is necessary to enable us to get to know about the situation in Ireland and to identify the difficulties, as well as the positives. The longitudinal study was recommended by the commission on assisted human reproduction. It is very important that our research looks at everything, both the things that are positive and those that have been negative or stressful. The more research we have, the greater understanding we will have.

I have no objection to rigorous, deep research which takes account of the work of the witnesses here today and that of other bodies but the issue is to get it onto the agenda via this Bill. We are seeking evidence from people contributing to the Bill and that is wonderful. In my experience, research that reveals areas of distress, identity difficulties and questions of belonging points to the absence of openness in the broader context. More research can give us insight and the more we have the better. There is not a huge field for this but where research has been done with surrogate mothers it indicates no psychopathology. As Professor Madden pointed out, instances of bonding issues are also very rare.