Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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349. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline and progress of establishing the regulatory authority under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21805/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law by the President on July 2nd 2024, having passed all stages in both Houses of the Oireachtas. The primary purpose of this complex and far-reaching legislation is to regulate fertility clinics providing treatment such as IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) and IUI (intrauterine insemination) and ensure that assisted human reproduction (AHR) practices and related areas of research are conducted in a more consistent and standardised way and with the necessary oversight. Therefore, the Act encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in Ireland, including: the use and donation of gametes and embryos for AHR and research; pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) of embryos; posthumous assisted human reproduction; and embryo and stem cell research.

The establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA), as provided for in the legislation, is a key aspect required for the effective regulation of this sector.

Intensive work is ongoing in relation to the commencement of all the provisions in the AHR legislation, including in respect of further progressing the establishment of the AHRRA. It should be emphasised that the AHR legislation will provide for the introduction, for the first time, of a new regulatory environment for a wide range of complex practices within Ireland and, indeed, in respect of surrogacy and donor-assisted human reproduction procedures, potentially even some undertaken in other jurisdictions. It is important that establishing a new state agency in this environment is done in a way that can allow it to operate effectively in order to deliver its statutory functions.

While I cannot give a definitive timeline for the commencement of the legislation at this time, the Deputy may wish to note that a campaign inviting applications from candidates seeking positions on the Board of the AHRRA closed recently and an assessment process is underway. I can assure the Deputy that I wish to both continue to advance this much-needed legislation and set up the regulatory authority as soon as practicable.