Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

700. To ask the Minister for Health to address concerns relating to the lack of regulatory or statutory protections surrounding experimentation on human embryos here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13188/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, in February 2015, the former Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar received Government approval to draft the General Scheme of a Bill for assisted human reproduction. Drafting of the General Scheme is in progress involving officials from my Department. It is envisaged that the General Scheme will provide specific legislative protections to embryos in the context of both assisted human reproduction and associated research involving embryos. For example, under the General Scheme the creation of embryos for research and other experimental practices will be prohibited.

Once the draft General Scheme is complete my Department will conduct a widespread consultation on the document during which stakeholders and members of the public will be invited to share their views. In addition, the General Scheme will be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for pre-legislative scrutiny.

Notwithstanding, the proposed legislation that my Department is developing, research involving embryos is also regulated under the Medical Council's Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners (2016). This Guide states that registered medical practitioners "must not take part in the creation of new forms of human life solely for experimental purposes".