Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome you back, a Chathaoirligh. I would like very much if we could have a debate at an early opportunity about last week?s decision in the High Court on the issue of surrogacy. Others have referred to the matter in this House, including Senator Norris. It is one of those areas where we should not wait to see what the Government comes forward with but because this is a very sensitive and complex issue we as a Seanad should examine the issue ourselves.

There are many different issues to be considered. I am concerned about the emotional minefield that is involved in surrogacy. I am very concerned about the way the rights of children are treated in this case. I am also concerned about the commercialisation of women, and particularly the use of power and the relative economic disadvantage between those who ?commission? children, to use that word, and those who act as surrogates. Many countries such as France and Austria have banned surrogacy and egg donation outright. They were right to do so. It has also been banned in countries such as Italy, Norway and Germany. The European Court of Human Rights has upheld their right to prohibit surrogacy in their laws.

The mood music, in so far as there is any from Government, is that it would legislate to permit surrogacy in some way. We should have a debate on the issue rather than accept Government intentions as a fait accompli. There are major human issues involved, in particular issues relating to children?s right to their identity and to know who their parents are, and as far as possible to be brought up by their parents.

This is a children's rights and human rights issue and we should debate it soon.

I also support the calls made in this House last week by Senator Hayden for a debate on the funding of fee paying schools. Frankly, I do not understand the begrudgery that exists about the right of parents to subvent the education of their children to a basic minimum level of funding for that education by way of the payment of teachers. Already it is the case that private fee paying schools have higher pupil-teacher ratios. The McCarthy report urges that the pupil-teacher ratio be 28:1. In fact, that is saying that anyone who dares subvent their children's education by the payment of fees must go it alone completely. That amounts to a form of bullying by the State and it discourages something we should encourage, the desire that some parents have when they have the resources to contribute to their children's education. I support extra funding for children in disadvantaged schools so we can also enable them in the pursuit of excellence but the one-size-fits-all policy is not to be encouraged.

I regret the fact that Sinn Féin has activated a petition in the Northern Assembly to block a very sensible amendment that would ensure whatever procedures that are to be permitted would be undertaken on the NHS. I am talking about abortion. We have the bizarre situation that this move by Sinn Féin effectively facilitates an abortion privateer in the form of the Marie Stopes Clinic, which even by the standards of abortion providers, does not have a good reputation. This is a cynical move by Sinn Féin and it is time the party stopped speaking out of both sides of its mouth, saying it is anti-abortion while doing everything to facilitate its provision.