Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This amendment would limit the information being provided to the Minister for Health for the performance of his functions in managing the national donor-conceived person register. Obviously, this function will become the function of the authority, when established. It is only in the interim that the Minister for Health would have responsibility in this regard.

I understand the Senator’s concerns that we should not require the provision of excessive levels of information which is, after all, of an intensely personal nature. However, it is worth emphasising that the child’s right to identity are at the heart of Part 3 and the provision of information under section 28 is designed to provide a system of checks and balances. I understand that, particularly in relation to intrauterine insemination, some intending parents never inform the treating clinic of the outcome. In a case where the clinic is not so informed, there would never be confirmation of a pregnancy and, therefore, information for the purposes of the national donor-conceived person register would never be provided. For this reason, there is a requirement of double reporting, first, of the fact that the procedure took place and, second, of the outcome of that procedure. This ensures that there is time for follow-up and that where a child is born as a result there is security for the child’s identity. This is very much linked to the provisions around identity. This system of notification will allow the necessary follow-up in order that the child’s identity rights are preserved. That is the thinking behind this provision.