I am pleased the Minister of State is taking this debate because he and I had such success with our previous debate. I would like to thank him for his help in restoring the clinical psychology course in Trinity College. The points he made that evening were very relevant when the whole matter was reconsidered.
This is an area which interests the Cathaoirleach who, as a former distinguished member of the Council of Europe, will be aware of the Oviedo Convention, which came into being in April 1997. This convention relates to the protection of human rights and the dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine. It is described as the convention on human rights and biomedicine.
The area I particularly wish to address is that of the protocol which was added to the convention in Paris on 12 January 1998. Unfortunately, Ireland has not signed either the initial convention or the convention with the protocol. As developments in biology and medicine are racing ahead, we must be sure that progress in biology and medicine is used for the benefit of current and future generations and that respect for human beings, both as individuals and members of the human species, is never compromised. Misuse of biology and medicine could lead to acts which endanger human dignity.
The Oviedo Convention, which was brought forward under the auspices of the Council of Europe, promotes the protection of human rights and the dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine. Article 2 insists that the intent and welfare of the human being shall prevail over the sole interests of science or society. Due to the development of the cloning of animals, most notably of Dolly the sheep, an additional protocol on the prohibition of cloning of human beings was added almost five years ago. The Minister of State will no doubt be aware of the recent claims by Dr. Antinori, an Italian specialist in reproductive medicine, that three women are pregnant somewhere in the world with embryos cloned by him. Cloning involves the removal of the nucleus of a human egg cell, the insertion of a somatic cell nucleus and the electrical stimulation of this egg to cause cell division and the development of an embryo.
I doubt if anyone, including those involved in embryo research in this country, would like to see the development of human cloning here. However, we need legislation to ensure that this is prevented. It is more than three years since I introduced a Private Members' Bill on in vitro fertilisation and, while the Government has set up a distinguished body to investigate the issue, it is a pity we have not signed the Oviedo Convention and introduced legislation while awaiting that body's findings.
Most European Union countries, and other members of the Council, have signed the convention. The UK has not done so, but it has introduced legislation. I recall from one of the blood tribunals that encountered terrible difficulties because we were slow to introduce regulations and waited for the UK authorities to bring forward theirs. I would like to know why we have failed to sign this worthwhile convention.