Government to approve amendments to proposed legislation on assisted human reproduction

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is due to bring a memo to Cabinet to approve amendments to the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill.

The Government will on Tuesday approve a series of amendments to proposed legislation on assisted human reproduction to allow for international surrogacy to be regulated.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is due to bring a memo to Cabinet to approve amendments to the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill, which will provide for the regulation of international surrogacy alongside recognising past surrogacy agreements.

The Bill, which passed through the Dáil in March, had been paused to allow for amendments to be drafted by multiple Government departments.

The amendments are set to introduce extensive and complex provisions into the legislation, including allowing hundreds of Irish families to access a route to formal recognition by the State of any surrogacy arrangements that were undertaken in other countries.

Additionally, the amendments will seek to ensure that surrogacy is standardised and has oversight, alongside protecting the rights and safety of the child, as well as those involved in surrogacy.

For new international surrogacy arrangements, they will first have to be approved by the new regulator created by the legislation, the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority. 

After the child is born, parents will be required to get a parental order from the Circuit Court.

Once approved by Cabinet, the Bill will go to the Oireachtas Health Committee for further scrutiny, with the process expected to begin early in the new year.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue will bring a memo to establish a new agri-food regulator, known as An Rialálaí Agraibhia.

The new agency, which is provided for under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill, will formally be established on Wednesday, with the first board meeting to take place then. The agency will be run by chief executive Niamh Lenehan and chaired by Joe Healy.

Cabinet is also expected to approve a memo from Education Minister Norma Foley, who will bring forward a new strategy on lifelong career guidance.

The plan, known as the National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance, will focus on providing information, advice, and counselling to help people make choices around potential education opportunities and career paths.

Ms Foley is expected to tell Cabinet that due to changing patterns of work, there is more demand for people to upskill and reskill throughout their lives. In particular, the Education Minister will highlight that people do not take jobs for life and will change jobs multiple times over their career.