Written answers

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Department of Health

Assisted Human Reproduction

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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777. To ask the Minister for Health when legislation and availability of supports regarding assisted human reproduction such as IVF and surrogacy will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46575/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research is ongoing by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. This comprehensive piece of legislation will encompass the regulation, for the first time in Ireland, of a very wide range of practices, including domestic altruistic surrogacy. I can assure the Deputy that publication of this legislation is a priority for my Department and the Government, and a commitment to enact this legislation is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”. Officials in my Department and the Office of the Attorney General continue to prioritise the drafting of this complex legislation and will engage intensively over the next few months to finalise the Bill.

Another Programme for Government commitment is the introduction of the model of care for infertility, which was developed by officials in my Department in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme. This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.

The model of care comprises three stages, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., Regional Fertility Hubs) and then, where necessary, tertiary care (i.e., IVF and other advanced assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments). Structured referral pathways are being put in place and patients referred onwards for further investigations or treatment as required and as clinically appropriate.

Phase One of the roll-out of the model of care has involved the establishment, at secondary care level, of Regional Fertility Hubs within maternity networks in the six Hospital Groups across the country, in order to facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with infertility issues.

Phase Two of the roll-out will see the introduction of tertiary infertility services, including IVF, in the public health system, but will not commence until such time as infertility services at secondary level have been developed across the country, required resources have been allocated and the AHR legislation commenced.

The underlying aim of the policy to provide a model of funding for AHR, within the broader AHR regulatory framework, is to improve accessibility to AHR treatments, while at the same time embedding safe and appropriate clinical practice and ensuring the cost-effective use of public resources.

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