Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1417. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the review of international public funding models for fertility treatment; when the general scheme of legislative provisions dealing with assisted human reproduction, AHR, will be published; the timeframe for the legislation dealing with AHR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26026/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in February of this year, the then Minister for Health announced his intention to provide public funding for assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment in conjunction with the planned introduction of legislation in this area. In order to determine the most appropriate funding model for AHR in the State, the Health Research Board (HRB) was engaged to conduct a comprehensive review of international public funding models. This HRB evidence review is due to be completed before the end of 2016.

Officials in my Department are currently drafting the General Scheme of legislative provisions on AHR and associated research and it is envisaged that it will be published in 2017. This comprehensive piece of legislation will regulate a range of practices for the first time, including: gamete (sperm or egg) and embryo donation for AHR and research; surrogacy; pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of embryos; posthumous assisted reproduction; and stem cell research. Once the General Scheme has been published, my Department will undertake a consultation process to seek the views of both the general public and stakeholder groups on the General Scheme. In addition, the General Scheme will be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for the purposes of pre-legislative scrutiny.