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 tend to agree with the thrust of this amendment because we are a very small country. From talking to people who have been donor conceived, I know they sometimes have a fear of sleeping with half-siblings. Let us face it, a donation can provide for more than one pregnancy.

When I was in Fine Gael, I recall that a clinic - it may have been the Beacon Clinic - came to address the Joint Committee on Health and Children. The clinics were seeking a limit of six donations from an individual. The Minister might clarify the situation as she understands it. Is the Minister putting a limit in the Bill on the number of donations from any one individual? It is important because otherwise one literally could have a case where any one genetic father could be a father to dozens of children. In a country as small of ours, one can see the risk of people ending up together without knowing that they are genetically related.

I have heard Dr. Joanna Rose speaking about the importance of a gene library. Will that gene library not be the same as the register we are discussing here? Will it provide for the same thing?

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