Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 3 December 2021
113. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans to establish a special joint Oireachtas committee on international surrogacy; when he expects this committee to commence its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59256/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIssues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. My Department is continuing to engage with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of these matters. It is expected that a proposal in this regard will be brought to Cabinet shortly.
As the Deputy will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research is being finalised by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. This legislation encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including domestic surrogacy.
The surrogacy provisions of the Bill outline the specific conditions under which surrogacy in Ireland will be permitted, including a requirement for all surrogacy agreements to be altruistic and pre-authorised by the AHR Regulatory Authority, the establishment of which the Bill will also provide for. The legislation sets out a court-based mechanism through which the parentage of a child born through surrogacy may be transferred from the surrogate to the intending parent(s).
