Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is all right. I welcome the Minister to the Chamber, and I acknowledge his work and advocacy in bringing forward this comprehensive and complex Bill, and his work and that of his officials over a large number of years. I also acknowledge the Members of both Houses who have been involved in the legislative process. I particularly commend my colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, on her advocacy, including bringing those involved in the surrogacy issue before a meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party a number of years ago, and on her engagement on this matter with the Minister and her own personal testimonies in the Chamber today and on other occasions, where she has painted a clear picture of what this means to people with regard to their rights and the love they have for their children who have been brought into this world through surrogacy.

I appreciate there are passionate pro-life individuals in this House who have fought and advocated to protect human life. I get that and I recognise that. I cannot then understand the opposition to a Bill that involves bringing life to this world - life that will be loved, cherished and cared for. That is, in effect, what this Bill is about. It is about the proper processes and regulation of bringing life to this world via surrogacy. As the Minister said, this Bill will support those parents undergoing AHR treatment in the future. Children born through surrogacy will have rights under this legislation to access information on their gestational and genetic origins. It will also involve the further expansion of the initiative to provide AHR treatment, including IVF, in our public health systems. Importantly, it will establish the independent regulatory authority for AHR, namely, the assisted human reproduction regulatory authority. That is important for anyone who has concerns about the practice of surrogacy and how it will be enacted. That is also important. It will also be an amending Bill that will provide clarity for Irish citizens undertaking procedures abroad to obtain a declaration of parentage, and for Irish citizens domiciled abroad who have undergone surrogacy or donor-assisted human reproduction abroad to have their parentage recognised when it is not already. That will be achieved through amending legislation, so that is important for those who feel this Bill does not engage and solve every issue relating to surrogacy. This is important legislation that has been worked on for some time.It is a complex Bill but one that will have a life-changing impact on families, rights, recognition, parents and children. I look forward to its progression through the House.