Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
1313. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the full commencement of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015; the reason some sections are not enacted as of month end August 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22081/20]
View answerThe Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 reforms and updates family law to address the needs of children living in diverse family types. The Minister for Health has responsibility for Parts 2 and 3 of that Act which commenced on 4th May 2020. Parts 2 & 3 contain provisions relating to the regulation of donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) procedures carried out in the State. This includes procedures where the child born as a result of that procedure is born in the State and where the intending mother carries the pregnancy and gives birth to the child.
The provisions in Parts 2 & 3 are interconnected with provisions in other areas of the Act of 2015, particularly Part 9, which includes provisions for the registration and re-registration of the birth of a donor-conceived child. Officials from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Health and the General Register Office have worked together to ensure that the appropriate legislative, regulatory, and operational mechanisms were put in place prior to the commencement of the legislation to allow for birth registrations of donor-conceived children.
