Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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548. To ask the Minister for Health when legislation recognising international surrogacy alongside retrospective declaration of parentage will be targeted to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53971/21]

Stephen 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 legislation encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including domestic altruistic surrogacy.

The draft Bill does not contain provisions to regulate surrogacy arrangements undertaken in other jurisdictions, nor does it provide for retrospective declarations of parentage. Issues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions and the assignment of retrospective parentage concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. My Department is engaging with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of these matters.

Overall, the provisions outlined within the Bill will ensure that AHR practices and related areas of research are conducted in a more consistent and standardised way and with the necessary oversight.