Parents of children born through surrogacy are calling on the Government to commence the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 without delay.
The parent-led, voluntary advocacy and support group, Irish Families Through Surrogacy (IFTS), will hold a briefing for Oireachtas members this afternoon to highlight the need for Irish surrogacy law.
Under existing Irish law, children do not have full legal recognition of their relationship with both parents, which IFTS says is creating significant legal and practical challenges for families.
The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act was signed into law by the previous government in July 2024 and a commitment to commence the Act is part of the current Programme for Government.
The primary purpose of the legislation is to regulate fertility clinics to ensure that assisted human reproduction and related areas of research are "consistent and standardised".
However, many of the provisions of the 2024 Act have not yet been brought into force, and certain surrogacy arrangements are not covered under the legislation.
Supplementary legislation has been drafted to ensure legal protection for all children born through surrogacy, mainly in relation to outstanding issues of parentage and citizenship.
This has required further consideration and consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.
The amending legislation is understood to be at an advanced stage, led by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, along with officials from the Departments of Health, Justice and Children.
The establishment of an Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (AHRRA) is viewed as a vital component by the Government to ensure regulation of the sector and that process is under way.
