David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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10. To ask the Minister for Health when she will commence sections of the (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 to give effect to retrospective recognition of parentage for children who are already resident in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34748/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that commencing this complex and far-reaching legislation is a priority for Government.

I also know, Deputy, that you share that objective. I would at this point like to acknowledge your supportive and collaborative approach to progressing work on this.

As you will appreciate there are a number of moving parts involved and I am pleased to say that all are progressing at pace.

The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law by the President in July 2024, having passed all stages in both Houses of the Oireachtas.

This will introduce specific regulation of the AHR sector in this country for the first time and also includes internationally ground-breaking provisions in respect of surrogacy.

While the AHR Act 2024 was progressing through the Houses of Oireachtas, issues were identified which required further consideration and consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.

Accordingly, in October 2024 the Government approved the drafting of a Bill, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill, to legislate for provisions in respect of these issues, as well as making other necessary changes to the AHR Act 2024. Formal drafting of the Bill has been intensive and is now at an advanced stage, led by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, in conjunction with officials from my Department, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

Full commencement of the 2024 AHR Act will also require a fully established and operational Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA) being in place. I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made to make this happen.

Clearly, this interdependence means that the Government’s priority, which is to commence the AHR legislation in its totality as soon as practicable, is impacted by how quickly we can progress the AHR Amendment Bill.

I know there are children and families at the centre of this who keenly await legislative and legal clarity and the appropriate protections afforded by parentage being put in place for them.

Work will continue on refining and improving the Bill over the next couple of months with the aim of introducing it in the early days of the autumn term.