Authority to protect the rights of those involved in surrogacy established today
The new Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority has been set up today by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeil
The new Assisted Human Reproduction Authority (AHRRA) has been set up today following the establishment of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 legislation that was signed in in July.
The AHRRA is a statutory and evidence-based regulatory agency that will aim to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of children being born through surrogacy, surrogates, and the intended parents of children born through surrogacy.
The Authority was established today by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.
"Assisted human reproduction (AHR) technologies are a critical component of modern healthcare. The new regulatory structure is crucial to ensuring the health, wellbeing, and legal rights of children born through AHR or surrogacy, intending parents and donors," she said.
Dr Brian Tobin is a member of the board for the AHRRA.
He was speaking about the establishment of the new Authority on Newstalk this morning.
He explained how the AHRRA will be responsible for approving surrogacy agreements both in Ireland and abroad.
"The AHRRA for short, will not be able to approve every international surrogacy jurisdiction that people have been utilising up until now, for example jurisdictions where conflict is taking place like Ukraine will no longer be accessible," Dr Tobin said.
The body will also be responsible for creating a National Surrogacy Register that will contain details of the child, surrogate, donor, and intending parents.
"This new body will be responsible for maintaining that register and that's one way that the child's rights to identity is protected," Dr Tobin added.
He also said that the intending parents must be vetted to ensure they will not pose a risk to the child after it is born through surrogacy.
If you are thinking about assisted reproduction or surrogacy, Dr Tobin recommends that the first port of call is a lawyer or doctor.
He added that there will soon be a AHHRA website with all relavant information.