Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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310. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 724 of 18 October 2022, the timeline that he is working towards for the publication of his amendments to the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 to include provisions for international surrogacy; when he expects this Bill to reach Committee stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57203/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Further to Parliamentary Question No. 724 of October 18th 2022, as advised, following the publication of the Final Report of the Special Oireachtas Joint Committee on International Surrogacy, an Inter-Departmental Group was established to review the Report’s recommendations, along with other relevant matters, with the aim of determining an agreed policy position and suitable next steps, in the form of a unified Policy Paper and appropriate legislative proposals.

The work of the Group is at an advanced stage and it is envisaged that in the coming weeks Minister McEntee, Minister O’Gorman and myself will be in a position to submit policy and draft legislative proposals for the consideration of Cabinet in respect of both the regulation of international surrogacy and the recognition of past surrogacy arrangements (domestic and international).

It is to be noted that if such policy and legislative proposals are approved by Government they will be required to be formally drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Given the magnitude of the constitutional and legal issues which are likely to arise from such proposals, significant input from the Office of the Attorney General will also be required.

As previously advised, I cannot provide a definitive timeline as to when Committee Stage – which will obviously also involve close scrutiny of, and potential amendment to, the 11 Parts of the published Bill – will be scheduled. Nevertheless, I can assure the Deputy that I wish to progress this much-needed and long-awaited piece of legislation as quickly as possible to ensure both that the goal of providing for a route to formal recognition by the State of past surrogacy arrangements or surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions is achieved and that a robust regulatory framework for AHR more broadly is put in place.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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311. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the six regional fertility hubs; the number that are open; the timeline that he is working towards for opening the remaining hubs; the treatments currently available in these clinics and the treatments which will be available once he has legislated for assisted human reproduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57204/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, a commitment to “introduce a publicly funded model of care for fertility treatment” is included in the Programme for Government. ‎The Model of Care for Infertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in order to ensure that infertility issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary. ‎This 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), with patients being referred onwards through structured pathways.

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 order to facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with infertility issues at this level of intervention. Patients are referred by their GPs to their local Regional Fertility Hub, which provides a range of treatments and interventions, including: relevant blood tests, semen analysis, assessment of tubal patency, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, fertility-related surgeries, ovulation induction and follicle tracking.

There are five Regional Fertility Hubs currently operational, and these are located at Cork University Maternity Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and University Hospital Galway. At this juncture, it is anticipated that the sixth and final Regional Fertility Hub will be in a position to be opened before the end of the year and will be located at Nenagh General Hospital, under the clinical governance of University Maternity Hospital Limerick. Therefore, the completion of Phase One of the roll-out of the model of care will result in fully operational Regional Fertility Hubs at six locations across the country.

Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care will see the introduction of tertiary infertility services, including IVF, provided through the public health system. In this regard, funding was secured in Budget 2023 to support access to advanced AHR treatments, including, crucially, to allow the commencement of Phase Two of the roll-out of the Model of Care.

This investment will facilitate the first steps to be taken towards the provision of a complete publicly-provided fertility service, which is the ultimate objective of Government. In particular, it will allow the development of the first National Advanced AHR Centre, delivering IVF and ICSI through a wholly public clinic. This is scheduled to open in the early part of 2024 and will provide a nationwide service, with all six Regional Fertility Hubs having equity of access for onward referral to it, via a shared care pathway. Subject to the provision of additional funding in future, it is envisaged that additional National Advanced AHR Centres will be developed and become operational on a phased basis elsewhere in the country.

The 2023 allocation will also be utilised to support the Regional Fertility Hubs in order to expand their scope of services next year by introducing the provision of IUI (intrauterine insemination), a significant, yet less complex and less intrusive, component of AHR treatment.

Separately, as an interim measure, I have instructed that some funding be made available to support access to advanced AHR treatment via private providers from September 2023.

My officials, in conjunction with NWIHP, are now planning for the operationalisation of both the publicly- and privately- provided service, including the development of a national eligibility framework, as well as determining how the interim funding for private treatments will be provided to individual eligible patients.

Overall, my Department and the Government is fully committed, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Infertility, to ensuring that patients always receive care at the appropriate level of clinical intervention and then those requiring, and eligible for, advanced AHR treatment such as IVF will be able to access same through the public health system. The underlying aim of the policy to provide a model of funding for AHR, within the broader new 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.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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312. To ask the Minister for Health the proposed staffing complement of each regional fertility hub; the number of staff recruited, going through the recruitment process and vacant posts by clinic and role in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57205/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to service-related matters, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.