Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2022
685. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the length of time that it will take to establish the new assisted human reproduction regulatory authority once the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 is enacted by both Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59093/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 passed Second Stage in the Dáil in March 2022 and has been referred to the Select Committee on Health for Third Stage.
The focus of this Bill is on the regulation, for the first time in this country, of a wide range of assisted human reproduction (AHR) practices undertaken within the jurisdiction.
Ireland is currently very much an outlier internationally and we do not have a specific regulatory framework in place in respect of this area of health care. This means that individuals are currently availing of complex and sometimes risky procedures, at present predominately provided through the private sector, in what is effectively a legal vacuum.
The provisions outlined within the Bill generally will ensure that AHR practices and related areas of research are conducted in a more consistent and standardised way and with the necessary oversight, and it is specifically the establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (the AHRRA) which is of central importance in this regard.
It is important to reflect that this new framework will regulate how AHR treatments are provided. In the first instance, for example, the legislation provides for a licensing system and treatment providers will be required to hold the requisite licence in order to provide treatments. The AHRRA will oversee and monitor this system, including to ensure that providers operate within the scope of the law and their licence. This regulatory framework will help bring guidance, clarity and peace of mind to service users, as well as to providers.
As the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position at this juncture to give a definitive timeline for the Bill’s complete passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas, nor its subsequent commencement. However, my officials will continue to undertake initial preparatory work in respect of the establishment of the AHRRA and I wish to reiterate my commitment to progress this much-needed and long-awaited piece of historic legislation to ensure that a robust regulatory framework for AHR is in place as quickly as possible.
