Seanad debates

Thursday, 26 March 2015

Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Fidelma Healy EamesFidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not think it fair to compare single parents or widowed persons - the Minister referred just to single parents - who have conceived their children naturally. I completely agree that 36% of our children are now born to single parents and that it is a social reality. I really do not know how they do it. I take my hat off to them, because it is so difficult sometimes to rear a child with two parents, never mind with just one. However, we cannot compare that situation, which occurs through natural circumstances, to donor-assisted human reproduction, which is by design and is where we are deliberately creating a child. It is different from adoption as well because, in that case, the child is already there and we are trying to make the best decisions around the placement in the best interests of the child. I would ask respectfully that all of us would stop comparing what we are talking about here, namely, parentage as a result of donor-assisted human reproduction, to naturally occurring children through single parents or in the case of widowed persons as well.

I agree that information is good and healthy. Again, however, according to people who are now the product of donor-assisted human reproduction, waiting until they are 18 to find out, for example, there was a hereditary illness in the family is not good enough. The Minister should clarify whether there is a way of that being put on the record earlier, given I have read that this might be the case in the Bill. I again thank the Minister.

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