Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

One in six Irish couples struggle with fertility. There is no public system to allow for in vitrofertilisation, IVF, treatment. This Government has committed, from 2019, to funding IVF treatment for couples unable to conceive. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has stated that the assisted human reproduction Bill will regulate the area regarding the support that will be provided from 2019. The Minister has also stated that financial assistance will be available to families. A woman approached my constituency office only last week. She has been married for the past five years and is 39 years old. She and her husband have been trying to have a child for the last five years. She had €30,000 in the bank and has spent all of that on trying to have a child. I am pleading with the Minister as a father and a grandfather who knows what joy and pleasure a child can bring. When is this Bill going to come before the House? I urge that the normal person, who may not have a medical card, not be stopped-----

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