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Catherine Wheatley, spokesperson for Irish Families through surrogacy, standing next to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. Christina FInn

Emotional scenes outside Leinster House as landmark surrogacy and fertility legislation passes

Prior to this legislation, there were no laws in Ireland governing domestic or international surrogacy.

THERE WERE EMOTIONAL scenes outside Leinster House today as families gathered to mark the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill passing all stages in the Oireachtas. 

The bill deals with fertility treatments for couples and single people and also provides a legislative framework for surrogacy. 

Prior to this, there were no laws in Ireland governing domestic or international surrogacy.

The complex legislation will also regulate a range of practices, including gamete and embryo donation for assisted human reproduction and research, preimplantation genetic testing of embryos, posthumous assisted human reproduction and and embryo and stem cell research.

It will also ensure that any clinic providing AHR treatment within the State must hold a licence granted by a new authority, which will be established under this law.

Once President Michael D Higgins signs the bill into law, parents of children born through surrogacy can apply for parental recognition for the first time.

Families embraced this afternoon, many in tears as the news reached them that the legislation had been passed in the Seanad. 

Catherine Wheatley, spokesperson for Irish Families through surrogacy, broke down in tears while holding her child, saying she is their mother “and that’s all that matters”, before she reached out and hugged Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. 

The minister said there are thousands of children born through surrogacy who have been waiting for their parents to be recognised as such under Irish law. 

He told the children and their parents that “today is your day”. 

To people who are looking to use IVF and surrogacy in the future, Donnelly said the government understands “the difficulty, the expense, the heartache and the challenges involved”, but that through this new law, “you too can have your beautiful and joyous day”. 

One of the most important features of the Bill is to allow for the establishment of an independent regulatory authority for AHR, the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority, which Donnelly said he wants expedited.

The new rules, regulations and provisions of this legislation will provide clarity and peace of mind, he said. 

Fine Gael Senator Mary Seery Kearney, who had her own daughter through international surrogacy, has been one of the driving forces behind the legislation over the years. 

“Within this legislation, there is that pathway for me to make an application and become the parent, the lifelong parent acknowledged, of my child,” she said. 

The law means “I will have a legal relationship with my child until my last breath, which is all I ever wanted”, said the senator.

“Today is a long day coming,” she said, stating that the fight for this recognition has been going on for 19 years. 

The minister acknowledged that there was still work to do on some matters, such as for Irish citizens living abroad who had children through surrogacy.

“They’re children must have and will have full citizenship rights,” he said, adding that hte work will continue.

Pádraig Rice, Policy and Research Manager with LGBT Ireland, who “today is a day of mixed emotions for many in the LGBTQ community in Ireland”. 

“It’s disappointing that the government didn’t take this opportunity to include full family rights for donor-conceived children who were conceived or born abroad. This is an issue that we will continue to campaign on. We promise the affected families that we will continue to fight on their behalf until this gap is fixed,” he said.

The Bill has been 20 years in the making and a long road has been travelled, he said, but added there are many more miles to go before all LGBT families are treated equally.

Ranae Von Meding, CEO of Equality for Children said today was a missed opportunity by the government to ensure that all LGBTQ+ families were covered, stating that the group will not stop campaigning until every child in Ireland is treated equally regardless of the sex of their parents or how, where or when they were conceived and born.

Seamus Kearney Martone, Chair of Irish Gay Dads said during Pride Month, the LGBTQ community feels profoundly let down by the government. 

 

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    Mute bacoxy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:00 PM

    I wish them the best of luck, really funny and well observed shorts.

    663
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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:11 PM

    Skinny jeans!

    219
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:14 PM

    I wonder how John is gettin on with the Iraqi?

    144
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    Mute Conor Power
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:03 PM

    Only complaint I have is that there are not a few more episodes!

    481
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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:23 PM

    More episodes please.

    Hilarious stuff

    292
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    Mute Supernova
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:09 PM

    This and Sminky Shorts are very good.I dont know would the yanks get it though.

    253
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    Mute The Girl
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:01 PM

    It’s times like that I’m proud to be Irish..

    200
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    Mute Aaron Kavanagh
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:59 PM

    I love Martin’s Life!

    I wonder if people outside of Ireland would get the humour, though.

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    Mute Jess Foley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:31 PM

    hilarious

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    Mute Anthony John Cotter
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    Aug 15th 2015, 6:44 PM

    Love the four, we need to roar for more.

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    Mute Fiona Wederfoort
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:23 PM

    ‘A couple of what?’ ‘A couple of gay people!!’ HILARIOUS….we need more!!!!

    105
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    Mute Mac L0ve
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    Aug 15th 2015, 9:18 PM

    How could you not hear “game of throws”?

    94
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    Mute Boxer Alice
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:28 PM

    Martin’s Life is just so funny! Whoever writes it deserves an award of some kind. I do feel only an Irish audience would get it though, but nothing wrong with that!

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    Mute Larry David the 2nd
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:05 PM

    “Tis’nt it well for them the bisexuals ”

    I bloody love this series!

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    Mute Michael O'connor
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:37 PM

    Very funny. good luck with it lads

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:40 PM

    Brilliant, hope you do incredibly well.

    51
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    Mute Louise Morris
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Too funny, my tummy aches. The only other laugh I got like this is for David O’ Doherty (comedian) . Check him out on you tube if you need more laughs like this. I love being Irish and our accents are the best !

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    Mute Paul Morrissey
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    Aug 15th 2015, 8:57 PM

    it’s a small world!!!!!!!

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    Mute eoin o mahony
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    Aug 18th 2015, 8:36 PM
    1
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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:17 AM

    Jaysus,those dwarfs are comical.I wonder do they get paid.

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    Mute Cheeto Ballsack
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    Aug 15th 2015, 11:17 PM

    This is brilliant

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    Mute Elizabeth Rohan Lenihan
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:26 AM

    Absolutely love Martin’ Life. Can’t wait for more. My 91 year old mother loves them too!!

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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 16th 2015, 2:10 AM

    He’s watching a game of throws,with that small fella and mcully culkin.hahaha

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    Mute Sean O'Malley
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    Aug 15th 2015, 7:04 PM

    youtube search: morning after night in coppers

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    Mute Stephen Mullan
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    Aug 15th 2015, 10:45 PM

    Thing is anyone can make those cartoons. They’re on a package you buy online for €9.99 a month. You just pick your characters, hair colour, clothes etc and put your voice to it. So to say he’s too lazy to do more of them just makes you think. How lazy is he?

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:48 PM

    ignorance is bliss to some people i guess, over the top superlatives!

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    Mute Laithbheartaigh
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    Aug 16th 2015, 12:29 PM

    This is done using GoAnimate software and is not hard to do, its the script thats the hard thing, which is very funny in this case.

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