Bio-ethics group’s funding terminated
Just two days after a landmark Supreme Court ruling found that frozen embryos have no right to life, the Irish Council for Bio-ethics, which provides expert advice on the issue, has confirmed its funding will be terminated from December 31.
The controversial decision – which was made after officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment put forward the option to remove the body earlier this year to An Bord Snip Nua – will officially save €365,000. However, in reality this figure will be significantly lower as the majority of full-time and part-time staff will be re-assigned to other areas. And while no expert of the independent body who sits on European advisory groups will lose their international position because of the decision, it still means that from New Year’s Day Ireland will be the only EU country to have no national advisory group on bio-ethics.
