Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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339. To ask the Minister for Health if funding has been extended to doner-assisted IVF as part of the allocation to her Department in Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55905/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Model of Care for Fertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme to ensure that fertility-related issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.

This Model of Care comprises three elements, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., the six Regional Fertility Hubs located across the country) and, where necessary, the provision of AHR (assisted human reproduction) treatment (e.g., IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) and IUI (intrauterine insemination)), with patients being referred onwards through structured pathways.

Referrals for publicly-funded, privately-provided AHR treatment commenced in September 2023, subject to patients meeting the criteria agreed by the Department and the HSE in order to avail of the fully-funded AHR services. These criteria are very much in keeping with those applied in other jurisdictions, even though in most European countries, for instance, such treatments are only partially funded and require often significant out-of-pocket payments by patients.

More information is available on the HSE website in respect of the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative at:

or on public fertility services more generally at:

Up to October 10th 2025, over 3,100 couples had been referred by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant for AHR treatment, following extensive investigations and/or secondary level treatment within the Regional Fertility Hubs. Furthermore, the Hubs have successfully and directly managed thousands more patients presenting with fertility-related issues who have been referred by their GP. Not all couples experiencing fertility challenges actually require such advanced and invasive interventions as IVF.

I was pleased to announce recently that, from June 30th 2025, an important criterion for accessing state-funded AHR treatment has been broadened. Couples with one existing child in their relationship, and who meet all the other current access criteria, can now access publicly-funded AHR treatment. including one full cycle of IVF or ICSI, if they are referred for same by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant within one of the six HSE-run Regional Fertility Hubs. Previously, couples with one child in their current relationship were not eligible to access publicly-funded AHR treatment.

There are complex regulatory and clinical issues to be considered in respect of certain categories of AHR treatment. In the case of treatment involving the use of donated gametes, while there is regulation at European level concerning the quality and safety of procedures involving donated gametes, and the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 deals with matters relating to parentage and the right to identity of donor-conceived children arising from such procedures, there are still a number of further clinical and regulatory requirements regarding the donation and use of donated gametes which are planned to be introduced through AHR legislation.

Ireland does not currently have a donation bank but arrangements between private AHR treatment providers in Ireland and third-party providers located in other countries are in place. However, if applicable, these would require likely further clinical and regulatory oversight before they form part of treatment offered through the Irish public healthcare system.

As new evidence becomes available and an even greater understanding of how the service provision is working in practice emerges, the access criteria and the AHR treatment initiative generally are being kept under ongoing review. Further potential changes to the access criteria or the initiative requires continued extensive consultation between Department officials, colleagues in the HSE and also with relevant specialists in the field of reproductive medicine. This will obviously include consideration of additional funding requirements which may ensue from any proposed expansion of the initiative.

It should be noted that supports previously available to patients who access IVF, or other AHR treatment, privately, whereby tax relief on the costs involved can be claimed under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme, continues to be provided.

In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Arrangements administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Arrangements must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and authorised for supply to the client’s nominated community pharmacy by the High Tech Hub managed by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the client’s eligibility, i.e., Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme. The annual cost to the State of the financial support for these medicines is far from insignificant.

I want to reassure you that my Department and the Government are focused, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Fertility, on ensuring that patients 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 most effective deployment of finite public resources.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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340. To ask the Minister for Health if a budget line has been provided for the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Agency as part of her Department’s Budget 2026 allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55906/25]

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 2 July 2024.

I am pleased to say that I have signed Orders formally establishing the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA), as provided for in the legislation, and appointing the first Board, including a Chairperson, from 13 October 2025. 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.

Even now that it has been formally established, the Deputy will note that it is going to take some time for the AHRRA to be fully operational as it will be responsible for a considerable number of very complex functions. Since the Board has just been put in place, and the agency has just come into legal existence, it does not have any staff as yet. It is a function of the Board to appoint those staff, including the chief executive officer, for which a campaign is underway. It will be a matter for the Board and the CEO to identify the other skills and competencies that will be required to enable the agency to begin working on the functions provided for the AHRRA in the legislation.

An appropriate budget allocation will be provided for the AHRRA in 2026. While I am not in a position to confirm the exact amount at this time as it is subject to finalisation, I can assure the Deputy that the allocation will be adequate for the purposes of ensuring the AHRRA is staffed appropriately and can put in place the processes necessary to start fulfilling its functions. It is my intention that all appropriate supports will be provided by my Department to ensure the AHRRA can operate with the highest standards of prudence, ethics and transparency as set out in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and can start delivering on the statutory mandate provided for it in the Act.