Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will respond to correspondence from a person (details supplied). [39592/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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At present there is no legislation in Ireland governing the intervention in the natural process of creating human life; instead, medical practice is governed by guidelines issued by the Medical Council. My Department is developing an appropriate regulatory framework for the area of Assisted Human Reproduction, which will also encompass the area of human embryonic stem cell research. This work involves, inter alia, examining the approaches to regulation in other jurisdictions and considering the ethical and legal issues that arise. It will also take into account the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children on this area — when completed — and any judgment of the Supreme Court in the RvR (frozen embryo) case. In the meantime, I understand from the Health Research Board that funding of almost €3 million has been awarded by the board for various projects in Ireland on research involving other types of stem cells.