Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris. The Government approved the drafting of a Bill on assisted human reproduction and associated areas of research in October last year. The introduction of legislation on assisted human reproduction and associated research is a priority for the Minister for Health and the process of drafting this Bill will be completed in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General.The general scheme was published on the Department's website, and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health is conducting a review of the general scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017 as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, which began in January of this year. However, it is not possible at this time to give a definitive timeline for the completion of the draft Bill and its subsequent passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

While the majority of assisted human reproduction, AHR, treatments and services available in Ireland are provided through private AHR clinics, there is a limited specialist AHR service available through the HSE, which provides funding for fertility preservation for cancer patients whose treatment is likely to impact on their fertility. Officials in the Department are working with representatives from the HSE to ensure that there is a coherent approach to the development of the AHR legislation, which is consistent with the existing publicly available cryopreservation service.

In order to support the commencement of the legislation, officials in the Department are working with the HSE to develop a model of care for infertility to ensure the provision of safe, effective and accessible services through the public health system as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology. Part of this work includes identifying policy options for a public funding model for AHR treatment. Once the Minister has had the opportunity to consider these policy options it is his intention to bring a memorandum to Government on a model of care for infertility, including public finding for AHR treatment, for the Government's consideration. No specific decision has been made at this time on the parameters of any potential public funding model. It is important to note that any funding model that may ultimately be introduced would need to operate within the broader regulatory framework set out in the AHR Bill and the model of care for infertility.

Currently, patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme. In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the high-tech scheme administered by the Health Service Executive. Medicines covered by the high-tech scheme must be prescribed by a consultant-specialist and approved by the HSE high-tech liaison officers. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the medical card or drugs payment scheme. Therefore, while IVF treatment is not currently provided by the Irish public health service, there is some support available for patients who access such treatment privately.