Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has been a beacon of light and hope for women's health, particularly in the area of fertility. I thank him for that, because this is not simple. It is complex. A lot of work has gone on for many years and behind the scenes but he is the person who has brought this through. I have listened to my colleagues telling their stories and their lived experience. I do not have that experience, but family members and friends have. I have no doubt but that this is an incredibly important milestone for so many because many are living in a legal limbo and a legal quagmire. I have met many of them through the years. When I was first elected to the Dáil in 2016, one of the first people who made an appointment with me was a lady, not actually from my own constituency, who had been a surrogate for her sister-in-law. She did it from altruism in order that her brother and his wife could have a much-loved baby. She spelled out clearly all of the issues they were facing. Even though she was very much part of this child's life as an aunt, she felt it was incredibly unfair that she was the one who had to sign off on everything. I have retained an interest in it ever since and had the opportunity to learn from my colleagues in this House. This legislation is long awaited. From the research Senator Ardagh and I did for our IVF Bill, we know that infertility is a worldwide health problem. Research shows that approximately one person in six suffers, and those figures are growing. It is incumbent on a state to be able, not just to provide financial support, but to provide a framework of legislation around this. This is a comprehensive and far-reaching Bill. It encompasses the regulation of a wide-ranging and centred area of healthcare for the first time in Ireland.

I will contradict what Senator Mullen said. AHR is not regulated in Ireland even though it has been practised since 1987. However, we are one of the only European countries without any form of AHR-specific regulation. We are absolutely playing catch-up in that regard. We want to be able to assist thousands of people who want to have their children safely and legally through AHR, and to clarify the legal position of children born from AHR. We also want to ensure that research and new reproductive technologies will be carried out within a prescribed ethical context. I know that is important to all of us. The new authority being set up by the Minister is very welcome. That will be responsible for regulating more frequently undertaken AHR treatments, as well as licensing and regulating the provision of other practices. For the first time, we will have the regulation of a wide range of practices, including domestic altruistic surrogacy, the regulation of international surrogacy and the recognition of past surrogacy arrangements. That is hugely important.

In welcoming all that I have spoken about, I concur with Senator Sherlock. It is good that there is a section relating to fertility preservation for children, adolescents and young adults. There is unfortunately a small but vulnerable group of patients, namely, children suffering from specific conditions that would most likely make them infertile at a later stage. They are excluded by primary legislation from accessing advances in the treatments available to them. I ask the Minister to look at that, and I will be looking at the possibility of tabling an amendment when we come to Committee Stage.