Written answers

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Department of Health

Assisted Human Reproduction

Photo of Cormac DevlinCormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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707. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the programme for Government commitment to introduce an assisted human reproduction Bill; if it will include provision for international surrogacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6281/22]

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

Publication of the Bill is a priority for the Government and officials in my Department and the Office of the Attorney General are continuing to engage intensively in order to finalise this complex and far-reaching legislation. I expect to be in a position to bring a Memorandum to Government seeking approval to publish the Bill in the coming weeks.

The draft Bill does not contain provisions to regulate surrogacy arrangements undertaken in other jurisdictions. Issues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. As the Deputy will be aware, a joint Memorandum from Minister McEntee, Minister O’Gorman and I proposing the establishment of a time-limited Special Joint Oireachtas Committee to consider the issue of international surrogacy was submitted to Cabinet last month and approved. Once established, the Committee is to report with recommendations within three months and I shall have regard to its work as the AHR Bill progresses through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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