Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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956. To ask the Minister for Health when the assisted human reproduction Bill will be pursued. [35853/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A draft of the General Scheme of legislative provisions on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated research, has been prepared by officials in my Department. Consultation is taking place with the Attorney General's Office and with other relevant Departments in relation to the provisions in the draft Scheme.

Once the General Scheme has been completed, a memo will be submitted to Government seeking approval to draft a Bill based on the General Scheme, as well as permission to publish the General Scheme submitted. If the Government approves the General Scheme it will be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health for pre-legislative scrutiny.

It is not possible at this time to give a definitive timeline for the completion of the draft Bill and its subsequent passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. However, work on the General Scheme of an AHR Bill is well-advanced in my Department and I consider this to be a priority for 2017.