Woman to seek early appeal over embryos

THE mother-of-two who lost a High Court battle with her estranged husband over the rights to their frozen embryos is to ask the Supreme Court to grant an early hearing of her appeal.

Mary Roche, 43, from Leopardstown, Dublin, was refused permission 16 months ago to attempt pregnancy with three frozen embryos created with IVF treatment before she and her husband split up.

Her legal team, who recently informed the courts that they were ready to appeal that decision, are preparing to apply to have it heard as a priority case. They would otherwise face a two-year wait for a hearing date, such is the backlog of cases that has built up in the Supreme Court.