Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to correspondence (details supplied); if the Government has committed any funding to research of this kind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26343/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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My colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, has lead responsibility for the EU Seventh Research Framework Programme under which the issue of funding for research of this kind may arise. My Department has not funded any research in its province that would lead to the deliberate destruction of human embryos.

The work of the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction is directly related to this issue and I was pleased to receive its report last May. As I indicated at that time, the Government has decided to refer the report to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children; this will allow for further public and political consideration of the complex issues involved. After this process, the Government will make decisions on the regulation of assisted human reproduction in Ireland on the basis of both the commission's and the Oireachtas committee's reports.